BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Manicure sets, pricy media promotions, and a TV show that never aired – all paid for with your tax dollars.

A scathing new state audit is raising serious questions about spending inside Baltimore’s Register of Wills office.

In the report, which was triggered by an unnamed whistleblower, investigators found the office paid more than $1 million on media and promotions, including $200,000 on an “informational television show that was never aired” and $1,300 on 500 manicure sets branded with the office’s slogan, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

For comparison, auditors looked at three similarly sized Register of Wills offices. One spent nothing on promotions, another $350 on pens, and a third $2500 on pens, calendars, and other items.

“Apparently, this audit was long overdue,” said Taxpayer advocate David Williams, “This shows that even the most benign agency can waste money and have problems.”

Williams notes auditors found no justification for the spending and suspect the city’s competitive bidding process was intentionally skirted.

“There could be corruption tied to this. People need to see who the vendors are, where the money went, if there are any ties within the Register of Wills to make sure that someone in this agency hasn’t been profiting off of this,” says Williams.

The audit also raised concerns over employee oversight, finding evidence one employee with a six-figure salary was repeatedly absent from work, and another was accidently paid $5,000 after they left the job.

“This can’t go unanswered. There has to be responsibility put on someone, and really, it starts at the top,” said Williams.

In a letter, the city’s Register of Wills Belinda Conaway, a long-time city official, called each of the allegations “unsubstantiated”, but added the recommendations are appreciated and will be taken into consideration.

In response, auditors stressed their findings are backed by facts. “Due to the lack of specificity in the response, it is unclear what specific information the Office asserts is unsubstantiated,” said the state auditor, “Our findings were developed based upon documentation and explanations received during our fieldwork.”

“You can’t spend $1 million on promotions and media and $200,000 on a TV show and not have some repercussions,” said Williams.

While no legal action is being taken, auditors did refer certain findings to the state’s ethics commission.

Conaway is also up for reelection next year. Williams warns excessive spending could soon cost her at the ballot box.

“I think this is going to weigh heavily on voters,” he said.

As of the time this article was written, Conaway has not responded to FOX45’s request for comment.