AZ: Former CEO of Transit System Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charge

The former chief executive of metro Phoenix's mass transit system pleaded guilty Monday to a fraud charge for falsely claiming personal expenses for him and his wife as business costs.

Stephen Banta pleaded guilty to the felony charge as the state's Office of the Auditor General released a report saying Banta claimed that $32,000 in personal travel, meal and alcohol costs for him and his wife were expenses related to his work. The plea deal calls from him to be sentenced to probation.

Banta served as Valley Metro's chief executive from early 2010 until late 2015. He resigned after The Arizona Republic reported that he incurred thousands of dollars of questionable expenses paid with public money.

Read the complete article at https://www.mrt.com/news/crime/article/Former-CEO-of-transit-system-pleads-guilty-to-13219164.php