JACKSON, Miss. – State Auditor Shad White announced today that he has named Larry Ware as the new Director of Investigations and Debi Cox as the new Deputy Director of Investigations at the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor.

“We have an incredible team of professionals in the Investigations division, doing some of the most important white-collar crime work in the region. The addition of Larry and the promotion of Debi will only make that division stronger. We will continue to tackle corruption on behalf of the taxpayers,” said White.

Larry Ware came to the State Auditor’s office earlier this year after serving as the director of the Public Integrity Division at the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office. Ware graduated from Mississippi State University and is a Certified Fraud Examiner. He was the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers’ Association “Law Enforcement Officer of the Year” in 2012 and has been recognized as a “Top Cop” multiple times during his career. Debi Cox is a longtime investigator at the Auditor’s office, most recently serving as Lead Special Agent in South Mississippi. Cox is a University of Southern Mississippi graduate and a Certified Public Accountant.

“I am honored Auditor White has entrusted me with leading the Investigations Division of the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor,” Ware said. “I look forward to working with the dedicated staff of the Auditor’s Office and our partners to continue serving the citizens of Mississippi.”

Cox said, “I’m excited to continue building on the work the office has already done, and I’m grateful to Auditor White for this opportunity.”

Ware and Cox replace Richie McCluskey and Bo Howard, the outgoing Investigations Division leadership.

“Both Richie and Bo did an incredible job, helping land some of the biggest public embezzlement cases in state history during their time at the Auditor’s office,” said Auditor White. “But when you land big cases, other offices start to notice your work and try to recruit you, which is what happened. I’m excited for the two of them and their families. Now we turn to making this office the strongest it can be going forward.”