JACKSON, Miss. – State Auditor Shad White’s office ended 2019 by securing convictions for Dana Beaman of Hancock County and Christy James of Wayne County in separate December court sessions. Beaman will spend at least six years in prison, and James was sentenced to at least five years of probation. Judges also ordered both women to repay taxpayers a total of over $150,000.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi spent a higher percentage of public education money outside the classroom and on administrative expenditures than almost every other state in the South in the last 10 years according to a new report released today by State Auditor Shad White. The report also shows Mississippi spent a smaller portion of money inside the classroom than most other southern states during the same time.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced Paula Hunt, former bookkeeper at the Warren County Tax Collector’s office, pled guilty to embezzlement in Warren County Circuit Court. Judge James Chaney sentenced Hunt to spend at least eight years in prison. The judge also ordered her to repay the money she embezzled from Warren County in monthly payments after she is released.  Special Agents from the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor and the office of District Attorney Richard Smith worked together to investigate and prosecute the case.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Today Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office have arrested two former public employees in Smith County after concluding separate investigations. Helen Bounds, former Town Clerk of Raleigh, was presented with a demand letter worth $48,339.25 when she was arrested for embezzlement. Justin Middleton, former solid waste clerk for the Smith County Board of Supervisors, was issued a demand letter worth $33,525.29 when she was arrested for fraud and embezzlement. A grand jury assembled by District Attorney Matt Sullivan chose to indict both women. Each demand amount includes interest and investigative expenses.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Today Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office have arrested Mayor Maurice Howard of Aberdeen after he was indicted for 5 counts of embezzlement by a grand jury assembled by District Attorney John Weddle. A demand letter worth $11,649.34 was delivered to Howard at the time of his arrest. Interest and investigative costs are included in the demand amount.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Today Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office have arrested former Pearl River County Deputy Tax Collector Stacy Treadaway and Joseph Edney, former investigator for the 11^th Circuit Court District Attorney.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Several state agencies, boards, commissions, and universities are failing to adhere to state cyber security laws, leaving Mississippians’ personal data vulnerable to hackers. According to survey results published in a report from the Office of State Auditor Shad White, many state entities are operating like state and federal cyber security laws do not apply to them.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Today Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office have arrested Newton County Supervisor Glenn Hollingsworth after he was indicted for fraudulently obtaining public funds by a grand jury assembled by District Attorney for the 8^th District Steven S. Kilgore. A demand letter worth $7,984.02 was issued to Hollingsworth at the time of his arrest. The total demand amount includes accrued interest and the cost of the investigation.
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Report recommends abolishing commission and assigning its responsibilities to nonprofit organization

JACKSON, Miss. – A performance audit released today by State Auditor Shad White found the Mississippi Blues Commission could not upon request provide proper documentation for millions of dollars of expenditures.
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JACKSON, Miss. – Today Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office have arrested former Wayne County Justice Court Clerk Christy James after she was indicted for embezzlement by a grand jury assembled by District Attorney for the 10^th District Kassie Coleman. A demand letter worth $51,531.80 was delivered to James at the time of her arrest. The demand amount includes investigative costs and all accrued interest.
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