JACKSON- The State Auditor’s Office has investigated a case involving John Thomas Longo, Mayor of Waveland, fueling a personal vehicle and paying for the fuel on a government-issued Fuelman credit card.

Special agents with the State Auditor’s Office arrested Longo on Friday, January 22 and served him with the capias on indictment handed down by the Grand Jury of Hancock County.

The State Auditor alleges that Longo embezzled $1,116.84 in Fuelman purchases that were used in a personal vehicle and not in his government-issued vehicle.

“Although this embezzlement is not a large sum of money, I am committed to holding any government employee accountable to the taxpayers of Mississippi for embezzlement and fraud,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. “An elected official must be held to the highest standard and using government funds for personal use will not be tolerated. Fuelman purchases have been scrutinized across the State because of the high risk of fraud, and our agents continue to look into allegations of embezzlement involving these purchases.”

Longo, 51, was elected mayor of the City of Waveland in 1998 and currently holds the office.

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