UNDATED (KELO AM) A special audit in the Gear Up Scandal shows that Scott and Nicole Westerhuis improperly used millions of state and federal dollars to help pay themselves huge salaries.
Scott Westerhuis killed his wife and four children, then himself, in 2015, at their home in Platte, as the case against him was closing in.
The report by the South Dakota Department of Legislative Audit outlines how the couple, who worked at Mid-Central Education Cooperative, created non-profits to ostensibly help Native Americans, but were mostly fronts to pay themselves and others.
According to the audit, $1.4 million remains unaccounted for, out of the nearly $8 million dollars improperly used.
The Education Cooperative leadership is criticized for inadequate oversight of the programs and the people.
The South Dakota Democratic Party was quick to use the new report as fresh political ammunition against Republican leadership in the State Legislature.
The party statement says that the Dems for years have tried to get more accountability and oversight in the use of taxpayer money, "only to have our efforts blocked by the Republican majority in Pierre."
"This report shows in stark terms," the statement says, "what we've known for some time: millions of dollars in taxpayer money intended for educating children was used instead for personal enrichment."
