Independent audit finds Albuquerque's Inspector General office failed professional standards under ousted watchdog Melissa Santistevan

An independent quality-assurance audit by accounting firm REDW, commissioned by the city's Accountability in Government Oversight Committee (AGOC) and released October 1, 2025, found that investigators under then-Inspector General Melissa Santistevan did not provide sufficient evidence for their conclusions, ignored conflicting information, and lacked basic supervision and quality controls in reports alleging $74,000 in city waste. Santistevan was placed on paid leave in May 2025 and her contract was not renewed; she has since sued the city, alleging she was ousted for investigating Mayor Tim Keller.