Documents shed light on how Hartford ex-treasurer spent city money using her purchasing card

New documents obtained by NBC Connecticut from 2024, 2025, and 2026 are shedding light on how former Hartford Treasurer Carmen Sierra used her city purchasing card, or “P-Card.”.

Documents covering spending in the three-year period show more than $10,000 was spent using city money on luxury hotels for what appears to be professional conferences. The purchases were categorized in the records as ‘ATTEND AT PROF CONV/CONF.’

To name a few, documents show Sierra spent $4,048.99 in 2026 on the Condado Vanderbilt, a five-star hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This total does not account for negative transactions. She also spent $1,487.33 on La Concha Hotel, another resort in San Juan. Both hotel purchases were categorized as for a conference.

Documents show charges connected to the Biltmore Coral Gables, Florida in 2024, 2025, and 2026. It is a four-star national historic landmark hotel. Documents show she spent a total of $2,982.04, all purchases of which were categorized as a conference as well. This total does not include negative transactions.

Documents also show she paid $2,781.00 total in 2025 to a company named Brightwild Booking, which is described on its website as “a travel platform connecting people in real life through personalized experiences and standout stays.” The company appears to be based in Florida, and these purchases were also categorized appearing to be for a conference, according to the documents.

Some other locations the P-Card was used in apparently similar circumstances during the three-year period include Mexico, Boston, California, Cape Cod, Key West, and Chicago.

NBC Connecticut also obtained invoices showing more than $10,000 was spent on four memory foam chairs and footrests for the office, appearing to be approved based on a city stamp.

It is unclear whether any of the spending mentioned above or similar spending in the documents violated city policy. Hartford Police told us they had no updates to share when we inquired if this was prompting an investigation.

“The City’s pension Administration Unit is exempt from City purchasing policies… however, the Pension Administration Unit is subject to all other areas of the Finance Department’s pre-audit process,” explains Hartford’s P-Card Policy from 2020.

“The cardholder must make reasonable effort to find the best price for all items purchased,” it continues.

Sierra retired from her position as treasurer earlier this month, citing personal reasons.

“Serving as your city treasurer has been one of the greatest privileges of my life,” Sierra said at a news conference earlier this month.

Sierra came under scrutiny when police were called to her office two days after she retired. She returned to the building without authorization, saying she was collecting her belongings and helping her team.

“Every single dime that was spent by my client was approved by the budget and was spent in accordance with the budget and purposes of our office, every dinner, every travel and anything,” said Darnell Crosland, Sierra’s attorney.

While Sierra’s role has been filled by former treasurer Adam Cloud, an audit is being conducted in the treasurer’s office right now.

“The truth will come out once this audit reveals that there was nothing to see here,” Crosland said.

Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam addressed the audit during a press conference last week.

“I’m as interested as you are to see what comes out of that. And we want to, again, ensure that we are doing everything we can to maintain fiscal guardrails and fiscal accountability here within the city of Hartford,” Arulampalam said.

Arulampalam told NBC Connecticut he is concerned by what public reporting is revealing regarding Sierra’s P-Card purchases.

It is unclear when the audit will be finished.

City Council president T.J. Clarke II released a statement on Friday afternoon:

“The Internal Audit Commission is currently conducting its audit. As the process moves forward, we encourage everyone to allow the review to run its course and to withhold judgment until the audit has been completed and the findings have been released to the public.”

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