Sheriff-Coroner Rod Hoops confirmed that the investigation actually began months ago. He did not release any details about the investigation, who it's focused on, or whether it relates to the city's bankruptcy filing.
City Attorney James Penman said the city council had been presented with falsified documents that masked the city's budget deficit for 13 of the past 16 years.
However, interim City Manager Andrea Travis-Miller said she had not discovered any deliberate deception.
All of this comes as the city faces a budget shortfall of about $45 million.
The San Bernardino City Council voted Tuesday to file for bankruptcy, making the town the third California city poised to do so in less than two weeks.
