SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A state review finds that more than 200 state employees were overpaid more than $500,000 by managers who deliberately broke state rules at the troubled California Department of Parks and Recreation.

Tuesday’s report by state Controller John Chiang is the latest blow to a department where employees were found last summer to have kept $54 million hidden in two special funds for more than a decade, even as dozens of parks faced closure.

Chiang criticized what he called a “deliberate disregard” for state policies.

The controller found that managers broke rules and regulations to pay 203 employees about $520,000 in extra pay over three years.

He said several dozen other employees were also overpaid more than $63,000 because they worked more hours or in higher-paying positions than allowed.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.