JACKSON- State Auditor Stacey Pickering has returned $556,804 to the State of Mississippi for funds recovered from the Mississippi Beef Plant investigation.

Funds were paid by Facility Management Group, Richard Hall, Sean Carothers and James Draper following their sentencing in 2008.

The funds were returned to the State of Mississippi and placed in a special fund account until the Mississippi Legislature makes a determination to the proper use of the funds. Mississippi law dictates that all taxpayer funds must be appropriated by the Legislature and individual agencies are not authorized to determine how tax dollars are spent.

“Our office initiated the investigation on the failed Mississippi Beef Processors case beginning in 2005 with the formation of the Joint Investigative Task Force with the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. “We knew this case would be lengthy and intense, but the joint effort of the Task Force was successful in bringing a total of six individual indictments, one indictment of a corporation, 5 guilty pleas and one guilty verdict from those involved in the scandal.”

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