Was this a criminal act?

?
Anti-Deficiency Act, here are the provisions...

Sec. 1341. - Limitations on expending and obligating amounts

(a)

(1)

An officer or employee of the United States Government or of the District of Columbia government may not -

(A)

make or authorize an expenditure or obligation exceeding an amount available in an appropriation or fund for the expenditure or obligation;

(B)

involve either government in a contract or obligation for the payment of money before an appropriation is made unless authorized by law;

(C)

make or authorize an expenditure or obligation of funds required to be sequestered under section 252 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985; or

(D)

involve either government in a contract or obligation for the payment of money required to be sequestered under section 252 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

(2)

This subsection does not apply to a corporation getting amounts to make loans (except paid in capital amounts) without legal liability of the United States Government.

(b)

An article to be used by an executive department in the District of Columbia that could be bought out of an appropriation made to a regular contingent fund of the department may not be bought out of another amount available for obligation

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/31/1341.html

Sec. 1350. - Criminal penalty

An officer or employee of the United States Government or of the District of Columbia government knowingly and willfully violating section 1341(a) or 1342 of this title shall be fined not more than $5,000, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/31/1350.html