MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Area Transit Authority has fired Deputy CEO Bacarra Mauldin after an internal investigation, the transit agency said Friday. Mauldin's termination by Acting CEO John Lewis, with support from the MATA board, was effective Thursday. MATA said the investigation con cluded Mauldin violated the agency's procurement and travel policy and did not take steps to ensure compliance among her direct reports. MATA Deputy CEO on leave over $800K in misspent funds "These findings represent a serious breach of the standards and expectations we uphold for all MATA leadership and staff," MATA said in a statement. "Our focus moving forward is to ensure stability, restore trust, and continue providing safe, reliable, and equitable transit services for the people of Memphis." Mauldin was placed on leave by the agency earlier this month after MATA said it discovered hundreds of thousands of dollars in misspent funds. MATA said the questionable expenses included a $603,000 Memphis Grizzlies sponsorship, $144,000 in American Express charges, and $56,000 for food and catering services. ► MORE REPORTING ON MATA Mauldin's attorney has previously called the investigation a witch hunt after years of mismanagement, and said Mauldin was actually the whistleblower on the misspent funds. Mauldin served as interim CEO for MATA before the agency's board was replaced by the mayor, and Lewis, an employee of transit consulting group Transpro, was installed as acting CEO. ...read more read less