MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee officials said Tuesday, Sept. 2 that $460,866 in public funds has been recovered after a fraud scheme targeted city government operations. The recovery was credited to detectives in the Milwaukee Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit, working with the City Comptroller’s Office and financial institutions.

"This is a favorable outcome to a difficult situation for our city and a testament to the professionalism and persistence of the Milwaukee Police Department," Comptroller Bill Christianson said in a Tuesday statement. "I would specifically like to recognize Detective Chad Vartanian and Detective Tony Castro of the Financial Crimes Unit who led the investigation. Their work not only restored critical public funds but also reaffirmed our commitment to transparency, accountability and public trust."

The fraud occurred earlier this year when criminals reportedly impersonated a legitimate city vendor and diverted a scheduled payment into a fraudulent account. Officials said the funds were traced and recovered before being released.

Christianson said the city has added internal controls, new verification steps and employee training to reduce future risks. "Fraud is an evolving threat, and no organization is immune," he added.

Milwaukee police said the investigation remains open and suspect or suspects may be overseas. Detectives are still investigating the case.