Findings for Recovery of $14,556.41 Issued Against Former COTA Payroll Administrator, Convicted of Telecommunications Fraud

Press Release • Ohio Auditor of State

COLUMBUS - A finding for recovery of $14,556.41 was issued Tuesday against a former payroll administrator for the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), who was convicted following an investigation into manipulated payroll submissions.

The total includes the $13,611 in court-ordered restitution against Ashanti Powell and additional misappropriated funds identified by the Auditor of State's Special Investigations Unit (SIU)

A special audit report detailing Powell's case is available online at ohioauditor.gov/auditsearch/search.aspx.

SIU launched an investigation after auditors flagged potential payroll fraud at COTA, after a former employee received a federal tax form for earnings in 2022, though he retired in 2019.

SIU determined that Powell had entered work hours for two former COTA employees and modified their direct deposit information so that the funds would be deposited into her own account. SIU also identified other personal payroll discrepancies involving Powell, including unapproved pay rates and unapproved vacation sell backs.

Powell was indicted in Franklin County Common Pleas Court in August 2025 on felony counts of including theft in office, telecommunications fraud and tampering with records. She pleaded guilty in May 2026 to a single felony count of telecommunications fraud.

Her sentence included restitution and 60 months of community control; she will face 36 months in prison if she violates any of the terms of her community control.

Since 2019, the Special Investigations Unit has assisted in 172 convictions resulting in more than $18.1 million in restitution (see Map of SIU Convictions since January 2019). The team receives hundreds of tips of suspected fraud annually. Tips can be submitted anonymously online or via SIU's fraud hotline at 866-FRAUD-OH (866-372-8364).

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The Auditor of State's Office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,900 state and local government agencies. Under the direction of Auditor Keith Faber, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies, and promotes transparency in government.

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