An examiner needs to be appointed in the bankruptcy of Samson Resources Corp. to look into the theft of nearly $2 million from the energy company and allegations it short-changed landowners on royalty payments, according to the U.S. government's bankruptcy watchdog, Reuters reported yesterday. Acting U.S. Trustee Andrew Vara said in court papers filed on Tuesday that about $1.8 million of Samson's estate funds were stolen last month when an email account of its chief financial officer was used to direct an employee to wire the money to an account at a Regions Bank in Birmingham, Ala. About $1.5 million has been recovered by Regions Bank and the remaining $300,000 may be covered by Samson's insurance, Vara said, adding that Samson is investigating who may have gained access to Chief Financial Officer Philip Cook's email account. Vara also said in the court papers that his office has been contacted by various landowners regarding royalties they get from Samson for oil and natural gas leases. They assert that Samson "over a period of years" intentionally and fraudulently miscalculated royalty payments, Vara said.
