Shreveport City Worker Arrested, Accused of ‘Fixing’ Bills
Head of customer service for Shreveport's Department of Water and Sewerage Lashaun Wheeler is out of the Caddo Correctional Center after posting a $5,000 bond. She was arrested and charged with theft after turning herself in on Thursday. The charges stem from her alleged manipulation of city records and billing systems in order of help friends and family avoid paying their water bill without being disconnected.
KTBS reports that an ongoing internal investigation alleges Wheeler, a Shreveport resident, used her position to make "adjustments" to select accounts, allowing those close to her to keep their service without paying. Upon receiving an anonymous tip on the city's fraud hotline in September, an investigation was launched. As part of that process, Wheeler was placed on administrative leave immediately.
The exact amount of money that has been lost was not reported, but investigators believe the brazen theft totals well into the thousands of dollars.