More details have come to light on the state’s takeover of the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office. After a lengthy probe, the state attorney general’s office alleges top staff lied about caseloads to inflate the budget with grant money meant for insurance fraud investigations.
In a 22-page report released on Monday, the attorney general’s office outlined an inquiry that began in 2022 after whistleblowers claimed the prosecutor’s office in Warren County was misusing the money and fudging timesheets to cover their tracks. The report also accused the office of impeding the investigation and potentially retaliating against and intimidating witnesses.
The report cited several secret recordings of a staffer who handled insurance fraud cases for the prosecutor’s office with multiple witness accounts stating little to no work was being done. On Friday, Attorney General Matt Platkin abruptly removed the top prosecutor James Pfieffer and replaced him with a deputy from the state Office of Public Integrity and Accountability. Pfieffer has reportedly called the report “inaccurate.”
