COUNTY PROBES IRREGULARITIES IN SHELTER FUNDS; OSHUN VILLAGE'S EX-DIRECTOR UNDER SCRUTINY.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

The Los Angeles County Auditor-Controller's Office has begun an investigation into the possible misappropriation of funds at a women's shelter financed by government grants and community contributions.

In a preliminary report, officials of the county Department of Community and Senior Adult Protective Services say $227,000 may have been misappropriated by Oshun Village's former executive director, Autherine Walker.

``Our preliminary investigation disclosed that the agency has serious financial problems and administrative deficiencies,'' the report said. ``Approximately $227,054 in agency funds may have been misappropriated or spent for the personal benefit of the former executive director.''

Discrepancies in the shelter's finances began to surface late last year, according to officials from the Antelope Valley Domestic Violence Council, which two weeks ago transferred 29 Oshun Village clients to its shelter.

Suspicions increased in January when Walker resigned her post, saying she needed to care for her sick mother.

``She left under the pretense that she's caring for her sick mother,'' said Darryl Kniss, chief financial officer of the Antelope Valley Domestic Violence Council. ``But she's in Louisiana and her mother is in Arkansas.''

The county report said some Oshun Village money was transferred to a Palmdale church, numerous transactions including credit card purchases and payroll expenses went undocumented, cars purchased by the shelter are missing and a house purchased for a shelter appeared to have been bought at an inflated price.

``The Board of Supervisors has directed us to investigate the funds that were allegedly taken,'' said Tyler McColley, assistant Los Angeles County controller. ``We're going to look at how come it wasn't detected.''

If any wrongdoing is found, officials said, they will ask the Sheriff's Department to investigate.

In the report, officials said $115,900 was transferred from the shelter to the Whosoever Will Christian Church although no documents were found to support the disposition of the money.

Walker approved and signed checks payable to herself totaling $100,438 for payroll, mileage and reimbursement of supplies, but there was no documentation such as time cards, mileage claims or invoices.

The report said $10,716 in credit card purchases, including cash advances, food, purchases at book stores and restaurants, spending at out-of-state resorts and auto rental, also have no documentation.

Two vehicles purchased by Oshun Village cannot be located and are allegedly in the possession of the former director, the report said.

The preliminary investigation also found that the Lake Los Angeles house bought to shelter battered women was purchased for $135,868 and now has an appraised value of $75,000, the report says.

Officials said the shelter has not paid payroll taxes to the state or federal government in several years. Back taxes are estimated at $43,000.

The shelter opened in 1995, as a spinoff from the Whosoever Will Christian Church but separated in 1996 to become its own nonprofit organization. The church has since merged with another religious organization.

After Walker's departure, Patricia Overburg, a former executive director of the Antelope Valley Domestic Violence Council's Valley Oasis Shelter, took over the Oshun Village shelter's operations.

The shelter closed this month when it ran out of money.

``It closed when it became apparent that there was going to be insufficient funds for feeding and housing,'' said Kniss. ``We tried to save it.''

On May 6, Valley Oasis took over the care and housing of Oshun Village's remaining clients, including 23 children and six women.

One mother and her five children went to a San Fernando Valley shelter to be closer to her family.

The Board of Supervisors voted last week to redirect $192,000 earmarked for Oshun Village, transferring it to the Antelope Valley Domestic Violence Council to establish an outreach program on Palmdale's east side.

``We have to get it up and running in the next 45 days,'' said Kniss. ``We plan to provide all the outreach we provide in Lancaster.''

The Palmdale location, to be called Desert Oasis Outreach Center, would be run by a manager, a therapist and one support staffer.

The council and county officials also are working to put a shelter in eastern Antelope Valley that would serve as a replacement to Oshun Village.