Former Arizona veterans services director indicted

PHOENIX — The former director of the Arizona Department of Veterans Services has been charged with allegedly misusing public money, sidestepping state procurement rules and using his position to hire his wife and son, according to an indictment announced Thursday.

The indictment of Patrick Chorpenning Sr., 62, was announced by Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard and came after a more than two-year investigation by the Office of the Auditor General.Chorpenning faces eight felony charges, including four counts of conflict of interest, one count of fraudulent schemes and practices, two counts of misuse of public monies and one count of violation of procurement code.

His phone number is unlisted, and calls made to two lawyers who have represented him were not returned.
The auditor general’s investigation found that Chorpenning (pronounced COR’-pen-ning) authorized the use of more than $1 million in possible violation of several state laws, including creating unadvertised positions for his son and wife.

His wife received more than $114,000 from the department for managing the nursing home’s redecorating projects, while his son got nearly $216,000 to apply for federal grants on the department’s behalf, according to the report by the auditor general’s office.

The report says at least $786,000 in nursing home renovations coordinated by Chorpenning’s wife and portions of her and his son’s salaries came from the Veterans’ Home Fund, which pays for the operation of Arizona’s State Veteran Home.

As the renovations were going on and while his wife got a 35 percent raise, the report says Chorpenning directed the nursing home’s administrator to cut spending on operations, including decreasing food and dietary staffing, limiting overtime and prohibiting the purchase of nursing home equipment.