Employee charged for embezzlement

A former WVU employee is accused of using his State Purchasing Card to make personal vehicle rentals.

James Ray Johnson, 61, of Westover, is charged with computer fraud, fraudulent scheme and embezzlement by the West Virginia State Police.

Johnson was terminated from West Virginia University on June 13, 2019, according to spokesperson John Bolt.

A deputy state auditor with the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office filed a complaint with the WVSP on June 18, 2019, about a former WVU employee who misused his State Purchasing Card (PCard), to make personal vehicle rentals while he was employed at the university, according to court documents.

On Jan. 8, an investigator met with Johnson at his home and asked to discuss charges made on his PCard, a criminal complaint said. Johnson agreed.

Johnson said he was issued the PCard to make purchases such as food and supplies for the multicultural program. He only used the card for rental cars, food, movies and supplies and never bought food for himself, the complaint said.

Johnson admitted he used the card about 10 times to rent vehicles for himself, because his vehicle was repossessed and he had no other transportation, the complaint said.

He said he knew it was wrong and he was planning to pay back WVU for the rentals, but he didn’t have the money to do so, according to the complaint. Attempts to pay WVU back through the cashier’s office in the Mountainlair were unsuccessful because there was no paperwork to use for the payments.

Fuel charges made on the PCard were for WVU vans and Johnson didn’t use the card for fuel for the rentals; he used his own money, the complaint said.

In total, eight rentals for a total of $3,454.02 were made at Enterprise Rentals using the state’s contract for vehicle rentals — meaning Johnson paid no tax on the rentals, received free damage coverage and got a discount of about $3,594.16, the complaint said.

Johnson was the only one to drive the rentals and he took trips to North Carolina and Pennsylvania, the complaint said.

He was arraigned in Monongalia County Magistrate Court on Wednesday, where Magistrate Darris Summers set bond at $15,000 personal recognizance.

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