York University has fired one of its key investigators who turned into a whistleblower of possible fraud at the school that eventually led to a police investigation.

Sources familiar with York’s management confirmed Friday that the university abruptly dismissed Ken Tooby, coordinator of investigations for security, parking and transportation services in the school’s operations division, earlier this week.

York spokesman Wallace Pidgeon would not comment on any departures or reasons because of personnel and privacy concerns.

“We’re not able to discuss employee information,” said Pidgeon, York’s director of media relations. “The information is confidential. It’s private between the employee and employer.”

Tooby, who worked at York for 23 years, refused any comment about his employment situation at the university, one the country’s biggest post- secondary institutions.

The responses left questions about why York would dismiss a senior manager who alerted school executives over questionable practices in the sprawling division covering campus services and business operations.

Tooby, 45, was among several staff members who revealed problems in labour relations, contracts, disappearance of university property and use of outside consultants starting in 2009.

York fired Michael Markicevic, the university’s assistant vice-president facilities, in February 2010 after he said the administration accused him of theft. Markicevic, who held the job for four years, has denied the allegation.

At least one other director in the same division departed York about the same time.

After its internal probe, York hired Navigant, a forensic auditing firm, to look deeper into possible improprieties and it identified possible fraud of $1.2 million.

The university, which would not release the report, said it had uncovered “apparent fraudulent activities” at the school between 2007 and early 2010 and turned over its findings to the Toronto Police Service in May. It is currently conducting a fraud investigation. To date, no one face charges.