UConn faculty member arrested for allegedly misusing school funds for travel — how to spot the warning signs of financial misconduct

How did misuse of funds occur?

Most employees expense work trips, but Zane isn't accused of ordering lobster instead of chicken on the company's dime.

University officials claim the professor-in-residence took more than 19 expensive trips between June 2021 and December 2023. Court records indicate she even took her children to Disney — and asked the university to pay for it.

According to police, Zane produced “little to no documented work product” from those travels. The arrest warrant affidavit stated there is evidence she “created false business justifications to go on personal trips”, which were used to expense lodging, transportation and meals. The expenses totaled more than $58,000.

According to the university, Zane has been placed on administrative leave. She turned herself into the UConn police on February 13th after a warrant was placed for her arrest. Zane faces first-degree larceny charges.

A lawyer representing Zane dismissed that his client did anything wrong.

"Dr. Zane has dedicated years of her life to UConn,” Zane's attorney, Trent LaLima, told CT Insider. “She denies any allegations that she stole from the university, and she intends to plead not guilty to these charges."

NBC reported UConn is improving its reimbursement system and will add further steps to approve larger expenses.

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How to spot misuse of funds at work

Financial mismanagement in the workplace isn't always as blatant as a faculty member billing their employer for a week at a Disney resort. However, expense fraud is common. A U.K. survey found that 85% of respondents admitted to lying on their expense reports.

Here are a few red flags to keep an eye out for:

• Unexplained or vague expenses: If an expense claim lacks clear business justification or is unusually expensive, it may not be legitimate.
• Receipts that lack branding: Watch for altered receipts. While a gas station receipt might be plain text, restaurants and hotels generally include their logo, addresses and other contact information.
• Repeated last-minute filings: If an employee often files their expenses at the last minute or only offers vague descriptions, it's worth investigating.

Misusing institutional funds, especially at a university, can quietly drain money from legitimate uses. While not all employees are in a position to prevent financial fraud, it's important to recognize the warning signs. To reduce expense fraud in your workplace, advocate for a transparent expense report process. If you suspect fraud, consider filing an anonymous report to protect yourself from potential reprisals.