JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced his office collected $66,574.44 for taxpayers across Mississippi last month after previous investigations showed public funds were stolen or misused. Significant amounts were returned from cases involving the former Chancery Clerk of Lincoln County and former executive staff at the Department of Marine Resources.

• Former Lincoln County Chancery Clerk Tillmon Bishop was issued a demand letter in May 2019 after he failed to reimburse the county for salary expenses from his office. The Auditor’s office has now recovered $43,197.44 and returned it to Lincoln County taxpayers. Bishop remains liable for the remaining amount of the demand issued to him.

• The Mississippi Office of the State Auditor issued demand letters to several individuals connected to the Department of Marine Resources in November 2013 as part of a joint investigation between state and federal authorities. This month, the Auditor’s office recovered a total of $15,000 and returned it to where it belongs.

• Additionally, The Auditor’s office has recovered $5,000 from Brett DiBiase after he entered a guilty plea to one felony count of fraud in December 2020. This money will remain in a custodial account while the largest public embezzlement case in state history remains under investigation.

These cases represent only a portion of the recently recovered public funds. The Auditor’s office returns money to government entities across the state every month.

“The best part of this job is putting money back where it belongs, for the taxpayers,” said Auditor White. I’m grateful for the many investigators across many years who made this month’s recovery happen.”

Suspected fraud can be reported to the Auditor’s office online any time by clicking the red button at www.osa.ms.gov or via telephone during normal business hours at 1-(800)-321-1275.