NC failed to make sure $3 billion in COVID relief was spent properly, audit says Will Doran, The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) May 13—North Carolina potentially misspent federal COVID-19 relief money, according to a state audit released Thursday, because officials failed to monitor how more than $3 billion was actually used. The audit did not find misspending. That could be because there was none, or because it flew under the radar due to the gaps the audit described. The audit focuses on Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's administration — specifically the state budget office and the N.C. Pandemic Recovery Office. It says those officials "did not design and implement procedures to ensure that Coronavirus Relief Funds were being spent in accordance with" the rules for the money.