Audit finds $1M missing from New Mexico broadband project

A state audit has found that officials in charge of a federally funded project that brought broadband services to parts of northern New Mexico cannot account for nearly $1 million in spending and nearly $200,000 in missing fiber optic cable.

The New Mexico State Auditor’s Office on Tuesday said that the North Central New Mexico Economic Development District was unable to provide documentation on the missing funds and cable for the REDI Net project.

State auditor spokesman Enrique Knell told the Santa Fe New Mexican that three contractors that worked on the project will be subpoenaed to provide records. He did not identify the contractors.

Knell says the missing funding “doesn’t necessarily mean it went into somebody’s personal pocket.”

District officials did not return the newspaper’s call requesting comment.