State Auditor Shad White has issued the following statement:

“A little over 30 days ago, my office issued demands on several individuals ordering them to repay misspent welfare money. As I said at the time, if any of those individuals failed to repay the money, the demands will be forwarded to the Attorney General’s Office, which is in charge of enforcing the demands in court. My team has now forwarded the unpaid demands to the AG’s office. My understanding is the Attorney General and the Department of Human Services have given authority to a private attorney to recoup the misspent money. We have been in contact with that attorney and will provide any information he needs.”

JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office have made two arrests in Hinds County. Former Hinds County employee Marketa Graham was arrested after being indicted for fraud. Special Agents also arrested Chris Smith, former Mississippi Board of Animal Health Director of Accounting and Finance, after he was indicted for embezzlement. Graham was issued a $9,661.44 demand letter upon her arrest. Chris Smith was previously issued a demand letter for $33,892.54.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office have arrested Tiffany Loftin, a former deputy tax collector in Rankin County. She was indicted for embezzlement by a local grand jury. An $11,519.73 demand letter – including interest and investigative expenses – was presented to her upon arrest.
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Auditor demands $2.3 million back from college, business owners

JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced Eureda “Edie” Washington and Joe Lowder have been indicted for defrauding the state’s Workforce Enhancement Training (WET) program. Special Agents separately delivered demand letters to Washington, Lowder, and two other individuals – Jennifer and David Schock – who do not face criminal charges. The Auditor’s office also issued demand letters to Itawamba Community College (ICC) for improperly approving WET program expenditures.
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Fire department secretary also arrested for alleged $30,000 embezzlement

JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced former Red Banks Volunteer Fire Department (RBVFD) Chief Mark Hanna and Linda Mannon, a former RBVFD secretary, have been arrested in Marshall County after they were both indicted for embezzlement. Special Agents presented both Hanna and Mannon with separate demand letters totaling over $50,000 – including interest and investigative expenses.
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Multiple audits now confirm millions of dollars intended for the poor were spent illegally

JACKSON, Miss. – State Auditor Shad White’s office served demands for more than $77 million of misspent TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) money today. The individuals who signed off on the illegal spending, like former Department of Human Services (DHS) Executive Director John Davis, along with vendors who were paid those funds yet failed to do all the work required under their contracts, received these demands.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced Ethel Cain has been arrested in Bolivar County after she was indicted for fraud related to the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) “Back to Business” grant program. A $50,384.19 demand letter was presented to Cain upon arrest. The demand amount includes interest and investigative expenses.
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Demand letters show over $100,000 owed to county taxpayers

JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office have arrested former Yalobusha County Sheriff William “Lance” Humphreys and former Yalobusha General Hospital employee Katherine Rotenberry Brown after both were indicted for separate crimes. Special Agents delivered a $10,867.30 demand letter to Humphreys and a $100,966.03 demand letter to Brown. Both amounts include interest and investigative expenses.
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Jeffrey O’Neal owes over $330,000 back to taxpayers

JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office have arrested former Stone County Circuit Clerk Jeffrey O’Neal after he was indicted on four counts of embezzlement in Stone County. A $335,353.61 demand letter was presented to O’Neal when he was arrested. This amount includes interest and investigative expenses for money identified as embezzled and misused.
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Auditor White encourages potential victims to come forward

JACKSON, Miss. – State Auditor Shad White announced today Special Agents from his office have arrested Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) probation officer Dendrick Hurd after he was indicted on two counts of embezzlement in Forrest County. Investigators continue to identify potential victims of Hurd’s alleged scheme.
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