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GREENSBURG, Pa. — A former Westmoreland County Purchasing Department director has been charged with theft and misappropriation of entrusted property following allegations of unauthorized payroll adjustments, county detectives announced.

Kristopher Cardiff, from Trafford, is accused of ordering an employee to manually alter pay hours to inflate working days for department staff despite not having authorization to do so. Investigators said Cardiff’s actions, which took place between August 2023 and August 2024, resulted in unapproved pay raises of nearly $10,000 within the department, with Cardiff personally receiving nearly $5,400.

Inconsistencies were discovered in August 2024 when the county’s Fiscal Directorate found irregularities in the preparation of the 2025 budget. Detectives determined that the procurement department entered a 7-hour work day in the payroll records, contrary to the standard work day of 6, 5 hours, which includes an unpaid meal break.

Detectives found that Cardiff submitted a proposal in July 2023 to shorten the meal break and increase working hours to 7 a day, but the request was rejected by the wages board. Despite this, Cardiff allegedly instructed staff to continue to enter the inflated hours, citing false claims of approval.

In all, Cardiff and five other employees received adjustments, with another employee receiving more than $3,600. The employee responsible for entering the hours told investigators she was acting under Cardiff’s direction and believed the changes had been approved after a two-week work study.

Detectives said Cardiff acknowledged in email communications with Human Resources that his request for a pay raise was not authorized.

The case highlights the permanent control of payroll practices within the county government.