Two prison firms cleared / The FDLE's report on $12.7M in overpayments finds no intent to steal.
Source: By JENNIFER LIBERTO, St Petersburg Times (FL), June 26, 2007
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement closed an investigation and cleared two private prison companies of criminal charges Monday. Lawmakers had asked FDLE to investigate for criminal activity, after state auditors reported that the companies improperly collected more than $12.7-million in overpayments. Gov. Charlie Crist has approved FDLE's final report, which clears the GEO Group, Inc., and the Corrections Corporation of America of criminal wrongdoing. The 22-page report, released Monday, points out weaknesses in the originally negotiated contract that allowed for some over payment and also quotes heavily from interviews with those who denied "inappropriate relationships."