The State Police is investigating a criminal process regarding possible violations at the Riga Technical School of Style and Fashion (RTSM).
This year, this is already the second case where an investigation has been initiated in technical schools following a review by the State Audit Office.
According to information on the State Audit Office's website, significant violations of legal norms and possible fraud were identified during the inspection at the RTSM. Three allegedly fictitious students in the "SPA Specialist" program were identified, for whom the technical school unjustifiably received budget funding amounting to 15,837 euros.
The technical school did not have complete documentation for these students, they did not participate in the educational process, were not registered in the instruction log, and did not receive scholarships. Additionally, the RTSM did not enter the necessary information into the State Education Information System regarding the absences of these students without valid reasons.
According to the State Audit Office, the identified facts indicate possible abuse of official powers or fraud aimed at obtaining budget funds through deceit. The State Audit Office has informed the Prosecutor General about the discovered facts.
As a result of the audit in April, a service check was initiated at the RTSM regarding the possible existence of fictitious students. The check has not yet been completed due to the absence of the technical school's director, Ulrika Naumova, as it is impossible to obtain her explanations.
The management of the technical school denied violations after the State Audit Office's conclusion was made public in the spring, but did not provide further comments.
As reported, following the results of the State Audit Office's review, a criminal process is also being investigated regarding possible violations at the Rezekne Technical School, from which at least 54,000 euros were allegedly embezzled from the budget. During the audit, possible fraudulent actions in settlements with service providers were identified - intentional distortion of payment documents aimed at transferring funds to third parties.
