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By Jon Styf

The Center Square

The leader of Tennessee’s Energy Efficient Schools Initiative has been charged with theft after allegedly receiving more than $11,000 in pay for time he did not work between 2021 and 2023.

Paul Cross was indicted on a theft charge in Bedford County after the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office found there were at least 42 days when he reported working a full day and he was absent for personal reasons or in court for matters not related to work.

“He told investigators that he knew what he did was wrong and would pay the EESI back any money he misappropriated,” the Comptrollers’ report said. “Investigators analyzed Cross’ state-issued iPhone and computer to determine when he was falsely claiming time worked.”

The Comptroller’s Office analyzed Cross’ computer and found that he misappropriated 20 hours in 2021, more than 100 hours in 2022 and nearly 90 hours in 2023.

“Cross used his laptop to visit Facebook/Facebook Marketplace 3,029 times, Amazon 922 times, a personal Gmail account 289 times, healthcare provider websites 1,459 times, and several other non-work-related websites on numerous occasions over the three-year period reviewed,” the report said. “The time of day he would visit these sites varied from early morning to late evening, seven days a week. Investigators determined that these websites were not related to Cross’s duties or responsibilities that were necessary to conduct business on behalf of the EESI.”