San Diego

An investigation into alleged purchasing-supply fraud that has rocked the San Diego Unified Port District may continue into next year, the district attorney’s office announced Tuesday.

Spokesman Steve Casey said investigators have interviewed about 30 people in connection with the complex case but still must examine “mountains” of documents before determining the extent of the fraud and the amount of money the Port District may have lost. That process will take months, he said.

Port District Director Don Nay asked for the district attorney’s help in June, after employees brought complaints of purchasing irregularities to his attention.

Nay said that, for the last two years, the Port District was billed by the Genuine Parts Co. for supplies it never received. Proceeds from the bogus sales may have been used to purchase refrigerators, videocassette recorders and other household goods for some Port District employees.

Based on a sampling of invoices from the last two years, Nay estimated that the fraudulent practices may have cost the Port District several hundred thousand dollars. He said that, upon close examination, the bogus invoices were obvious, as the prices for certain items were inflated, the purchase orders were vague or the handwriting was forged.

Nay said Port District officials are being advised on how to change their purchase-supply system to better ferret out fraudulent documents.