ALTUS - Amy Briggs, a former employee of the Southwest Oklahoma Community Action Group (SOCAG), has filed a $2 million lawsuit against the organization. Briggs had worked as an accountant and, as stated in her petition, had discovered that funds were missing from the payments made for the SOCAG housing programs. The discrepancies in payments amounted to thousands of dollars. SOCAG officials, Briggs claims, ignored her findings. She then notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Mike Turner, Assistant Chief of Police, said that although the FBI has been notified, the matter is still in the Altus jurisdiction.

According to her petition, Briggs was then accused by SOCAG of embezzlement for the missing funds and summarily fired.

Briggs is suing SOCAG for $500,000 for "wrongful termination" and an additional $1.5 million for slander and malice against her. Altus Police confirmed that there was a report filed for embezzlement and that the matter is still under investigation.

Various state and federal laws protect so-called whistleblowers. The term comes from the tradition of English police officers who would blow their whistles when they noticed something amiss. Most such laws are designed to protect whistleblowers against retaliation for revealing misconduct in a company, organization or governmental agency. Those who feel they have been wrongfully terminated in retaliation may contact the Oklahoma Human Rights Commission at http://www.ok.gov/ohrc or call toll free 888-456-2558. They will investigate such situations.