SPRINGFIELD, Ill., May 6 (UPI) -- Illinois authorities say state lottery officials solicited items like airline ticket vouchers and video game systems as incentives for employees.
In a program that dated back to at least 1989, the lottery collected items from potential advertising outlets for a "prize closet," state Auditor General William Holland said in a report revealed Friday in the Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette.
The audit quoted an Illinois Lottery letter from fall 2003 seeking items to "create excitement and rewards within the Lottery's team of dedicated employees."
The audit indicates more than 1,000 items -- such as MP3 players, ticket vouchers, compact discs and video tapes and DVDs -- were received by the Illinois Lottery and officials failed to adequately keep track of the goods, the News-Gazette reported.
An Illinois Department of Revenue spokeswoman told the newspaper all gifts in the Lottery's possession had been returned and the Lottery has stopped soliciting goods in conjunction with buying advertising.
