Homeland Security racks up $30,000 Starbucks bill

Employees at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spent $31,413 at Starbucks in 2013, according to an audit by the department’s inspector general released Aug. 11.

The audit identified 66 transactions with government charge cards at the coffee franchise, for an average transaction cost of over $475.

{mosads}The review found that 61 percent of the transactions were “supported, allowable, and reasonable,” while 24 percent were not properly documented. The remaining 15 percent of charges were “fraudulent” and made by “unauthorized users.”

The audit sought to measure whether internal controls on charge cards adequately prevent “illegal, improper, or erroneous purchases.”

The report concluded that there is a “moderate risk” of charge card misuse and recommended “more vigilant” oversight.

The DHS put more than $400 million a year on charge cards from fiscal 2012 to 2014, the report said.