Former Jones County Supervisor Jerome Wyatt Found Guilty of Embezzlement

JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced former Jones County Supervisor Jerome Wyatt has been convicted of embezzlement in Judge Dal Williamson’s chamber of Jones County Circuit Court. The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Anthony J. Buckley.
Continue Reading

Former Water Association Office Manager Arrested for Embezzlement and Fraud

JACKSON, Miss. – Today State Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office arrested Joann Williams, former office manager of the Tri-County Water Association in Jasper County. Williams was arrested for embezzlement and fraud after she was indicted by a grand jury assembled by District Attorney Matt Sullivan. The Auditor’s office conducted the investigation after the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance.
Continue Reading

Auditor Arrests Former Town of Walls Police Chief for Embezzlement

JACKSON, Miss. – Today Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office have arrested the former police chief of the Town of Walls, Herb Brewer, after he was indicted for embezzlement by a grand jury assembled by District Attorney John Champion. A demand letter worth $6,943.58 was issued to Brewer at the time of his arrest. Interest and investigative costs are included in the demand amount.
Continue Reading

Auditor Arrests Former Director of DHS and Co-Conspirators in Largest Public Embezzlement Case in State History

Defendants Accused of Obtaining Millions in Funds Intended for Poor

JACKSON, Miss. – Special agents from the office of State Auditor Shad White have arrested John Davis, the former Director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services (DHS); former DHS employee Latimer Smith; Dr. Nancy New, owner and Director of the Mississippi Community Education Center (MCEC) and New Learning, Inc.; Zach New, Assistant Executive Director of MCEC; Anne McGrew, accountant for MCEC; and Brett DiBiase in connection with a multimillion-dollar embezzlement scheme. The indictments include a range of violations involving fraud and embezzlement.
Continue Reading

Auditor Completes Efficiency Study of Department of Transportation

Report outlines where MDOT is performing well, areas for cost savings

JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is operating at a level comparable to other state transportation departments across the nation, but they could save millions of dollars by streamlining operations. This finding, along with the ways MDOT could save taxpayer money, is published in a study of MDOT released by State Auditor Shad White today.
Continue Reading

Former Quitman County School District Employee Arrested for Fraud

JACKSON, Miss. – Today Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office have arrested former Quitman County School District employee, Linder Howze-Campbell, after she was indicted for fraud by a grand jury assembled by District Attorney Brenda Mitchell. A demand letter worth $72,031.44 was delivered to Howze-Campbell at the time of her arrest. The total demand amount includes interest and the cost of the investigation.
Continue Reading

Auditor’s Office Begins New Year with Momentum from Concluded Investigations

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.
Continue Reading

Mississippi Outpaces Southern States in Outside-the-Classroom Spending

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.
Continue Reading

Former Warren County Bookkeeper Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement

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.
Continue Reading

Auditor Makes Two Arrests in Smith County in Separate Cases

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.
Continue Reading