State-run firm sacks its integrity office

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- A state-run insurance company in Florida has sacked its Office of Corporate Integrity staff, citing work redundancy and a need to crack down on fraud.

The Tampa Bay Times reported Wednesday the Citizens Property Insurance Corp. is seeking confidentiality agreements from the four sacked workers, who were let go despite a more than 50 percent increase in complaints and an investigation into suspiciously lavish spending by company executives.

The Office of Corporate Integrity is responsible for internal complaints, such as sexual harassment and executive malfeasance.

Company spokeswoman Christine Ashburn said the Office of Corporate Integrity was dismantled, "in order to better understand and focus attention on the management of the risk of fraud and how this risk needs to be addressed within the organization."

"Citizens has determined a need to enlist well-skilled and qualified forensic accountants that have specific experience in the management of fraud," she said.

The company has yet to hire any forensic accountants, however, the newspaper said.