A local township fiscal officer is facing a state investigation after allegedly trying to purchase gold coins with township money.
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The Miami Township Board of Trustees voted Tuesday night to bar Fiscal Officer Bob Matthews from township offices, outside of instances necessary for the performance of his “statutorily-defined duties.”
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In the meeting, Matthews was accused of attempting to cause of transfer of township funds to purchase gold coins last month without the approval of the trustees.
The transaction was caught by the township’s fraud and accounting control and was canceled.
Matthews is also accused of attempting to fire the township’s finance director, Clay McCord, in his role of stopping the transaction.
In addition to barring him from the township offices, the board voted to authorize the township’s legal counsel to pursue a report to the state auditor’s office, a referral for criminal prosecution, and declaratory judgment action.
Matthews was elected to the Miami Township Board of Trustees in November 2023 and took office in April 2024. He previously served as a trustee from 2014-2017, according to the township’s website.
News Center 7 has reached out to the Auditor of State and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal investigation for details on their potential investigations into the matter. A spokesperson for the Auditor of State said they are not involved.
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