mississippi state auditor investigations

On Thursday, the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor (OSA) announced last months return of $63,660.90 to public coffers. In 2021, she joined Yall Politics as a Capitol Correspondent. A: The State Auditor's Office makes an arrest in the course of an investigation when a prosecutor, often a local district attorney, has secured an indictment against an individual. Phil Bryant have helped cast doubt over the independence and rigor of the state welfare investigation led by White. 8 0 obj Recouping taxpayer monies part of State Anne Summerhays is a recent graduate of Millsaps College where she majored in Political Science, with minors in Sociology and American Studies. Anderson tells us it is ultimately going to be the discretion of the feds to determine who is culpable in this case. Asked about this, the auditor's office confirmed it was indeed investigating the matter on behalf of taxpayers. But some holes in the audit have since emerged, especially relating to Bryants involvement behind the scenes. 25, 2023 at 4:28 PM PDT JACKSON, Miss. The Mississippi Department of Human Services said in a statement Monday to ABC News: "The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) has been in limited, one-way communication with the federal authorities. The job title. The company reported over $257 billion in revenue last year. PBMS, pharmacy benefit managers, are companies that manage prescription drug benefits on behalf of drug programs like health insurance, Medicare, and the state Medicaid program. It's unclear where any continuing federal or state investigations stand at the three-year mark. He was political and investigative editor at the Clarion Ledger, where he also penned a popular political column. All rights reserved. The fight has resulted in at least eight lawsuits, including one that was settled last week. White and numerous other officials have declined comment on the case for months citing a gag order from a state judge. 1:58. State Rep. Chris Bell (D) will serve as the new MLBC Chair as Sen. Angela Turner-Ford (D) chose not to seek the post for another term. White as auditor has burnished a reputation as a hard-charging defender of state tax dollars, and was credited with unmasking a massive scheme in the 2019 welfare scandal. The Auditors investigation revealed MTC failed to appropriately notify and credit MDOC when its staffing levels at the Marshall County facility fell below the minimum amount required by the contract. Three former state auditors say they would have recused themselves or limited their involvement in the investigation into Mississippi's welfare fraud scandal to avoid perceptions of conflict of interest due to current auditor Shad White's close relationship with former Gov. A Mississippi judge denied a request to remove Brett Favre from a lawsuit . You get those complaints that come in, and its what did you know and when did you know it. The nation's poorest state used welfare money to pay Brett Favre for "We have an incredible team of professionals in the Investigations division, doing some of the most important white-collar crime work in . endobj He previously served as an investigative reporter and political editor at the Sun Herald, where he was a member of the Pulitzer Prize-winning team for Hurricane Katrina coverage. 2023 Magnolia Tribune. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using. It is ultimately going to be the discretion of the feds to determine who is culpable in this case.. The state auditor's office also declined to provide further details, citing the need to protect an ongoing investigation. (WLBT) - New information into the largest embezzlement and fraud case in state history involving misspent TANF money - funds meant to help needy families in Mississippi. He also serves in the military as a captain in the Mississippi National Guard. JACKSON, Miss. Commissioner of Mississippi Department of Corrections and Local The others indicted include Nancy New, the former owner of the Mississippi Community Education Center (MCEC); her son, Zach New, the assistant executive director of the MCEC; and former Department of Human Services employee Gregory "Latimer" Smith. White also said then that it was the welfare directors duty to reject improper requests from the governor, not the governors responsibility to know the rules and laws. From big cases to small cases, we fight for the taxpayers every month., Last month @MSStateAuditor @ShadWhite's office returned $63,660.90 back to taxpayers. "We are still early in our investigation," said Colby . But Bryants responsibility in directly supervising his welfare department director and the fact that some of the taxpayer money flowed to people and programs favored by the former governor are notably missing from his extensive audit report. 0:00. % But White did not reveal that storyline to the public. Mr. Jackson, MS 39205-0956 endobj State Auditor Shad White told the Magnolia Tribune that his office continues to work month in and month out to recoup such funds for taxpayers. READ MORE: Phil Bryant had his sights on a payout as welfare funds flowed to Brett Favre. Hurst, in his statement at the time of the arrests, noted, Investigating and prosecuting cases of this magnitude and complexity is routinely what the FBI and U.S. Attorneys Offices do here in Mississippi and around the country.. Auditors issued additional demands to vendors who received part of the $77 million in welfare spending but did not completely fulfill the terms of their contracts: Austin Smith: $378,791 Brett Dibiase: $225,950 Favre Enterprises, along with Brett Favre and Robert Culumber: $828,000 k"=z@T (844) 437-6282 Website. You can only publish select stories individually not as a collection. Mississippi's auditor says $70 million in federal welfare funds went to Brett Favre, a sports complex and an ex-wrestler in a scandal that has rocked the poorest state. Attorneys for Nancy and Zach New did not respond to a request for comment from ABC News. Phil Bryant, Phil Bryant had his sights on a payout as welfare funds flowed to Brett Favre, Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. <> To republish online, simply click the button, copy the html code and paste into your Content Management System (CMS). More questions than answers at 3-year mark of - Mississippi Today At Whites swearing in as auditor after he appointed him, Bryant said: When I was auditor, I used to enjoy saying, In God we trust. Sarah Warnock/Mississippi Clarion Ledger via USA Today Network, FILE. Four out of six have since pleaded guilty to state charges. Davis has pleaded not guilty, court records show. Hes also claimed the auditors are liars despite clear documentary evidence showing he benefitted from misspent funds. Anna Wolfe answers questions about welfare scandal - Mississippi Today Then-Southern District U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst in early 2020 issued a release noting, We in the United States Attorneys Office and the FBI only learned from media reports about the indictments and arrests, at the same time the general public did., While we commend the reported actions, neither the FBI nor the United States Attorneys Office was contacted by the State Auditor or the Hinds County District Attorney about this investigation, although millions of federal dollars are alleged to have been stolen.. pic.twitter.com/rDuj6yHTo6. Mississippi Today later obtained communications between the governor and principal players in the scandal discussing the allocation of financial aid. The new law increases the statute of limitations on bribery from three years to five years. See The Spending Federal criminal investigations are notoriously slow, but also notoriously thorough. All rights reserved. Mississippi That wasnt a part of the thinking or the conversation., Lumumba told members the auditor later raised questions about the citys legal expenses, but the investigation was not initiated by his office. Banks declined to comment when asked outside council chambers following Tuesdays meeting. Mills voluntarily reduced his hours by so much on our first bill that his effective rate was $183 per hour, and the city is aware of that discount we gave to the city, Scanlon said. Want more WLBT news in your inbox? music minister at their small country church, and his mother played the organ. See The Spending Since Auditor Shad White arrested Gov. Mississippi Auditor: Prison Company Must Pay $2 Million for No-Show Workers McGrew, Smith, Nancy New and Zach New have all pleaded not guilty, according to The Associated Press. Churchill, a former Town Clerk of Hickory Flat, was indicted and arrested for embezzlement in April of 2022. The Mississippi State Auditor's Office is looking intowhether UnitedHealth Group, the fifth largest company in the U.S., is over-billing Medicaid for prescription drugs. Mississippi welfare scheme: Former state official pleads guilty in The amount, roughly $45,000 for Mills, Scanlon, Dye & Pittman, also had been pulled from the April 11 claims docket. Find out what jobs are open by sending an email to Recruitment@osa.ms.gov or follow the instructions below. AccelerateMS. Keith. Mississippi Office of the State Auditor endobj BX)4}um[69iI`1F@mlW|!=/ The council and Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars since 2021 on attorneys fees over the citys garbage collections. Today Shad, his wife Rina and their children live in Rankin County and are faithful members at St. Richard Church. Pender brings 30 years of political and government reporting experience to Mississippi Today. . - Today State Auditor Shad White announced that Special Agents from his office have served Management & Training Corporation (MTC) with a civil demand totaling nearly $2 million after the company failed to follow the terms of its contract to operate the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) facility in Marshall County. Today State Auditor Shad White announced that Special Agents from his office have served Management & Training Corporation (MTC) with a civil demand totaling nearly $2 million after the company failed to follow the terms of its contract to operate the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) facility in Marshall County. Anna has received national recognition for her work, including the 2021 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting, the 2021 Collier Prize for State Government Accountability, the 2021 John Jay/Harry Frank Guggenheim Excellence in Criminal Justice Reporting Award, the 2020 Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award and the February 2020 Sidney Award for reporting on Mississippis debtors prisons. But shortly after the arrests, White said that then-Gov. Neither person is named in the report because the investigation is ongoing. 9 0 obj Internships In fact, no one in the room had even thought about attorneys. Mississippi Office of the State Auditor News of years of prison sentences for fraudsters. His father and grandfather were oilfield pumpers, and his mother and grandmother were public school teachers. We were unable to get a six-year contract and there were questions and audit agreed that they thought, that based on the fact that we had consecutive emergencies, that could put us in trouble, the mayor said. State Auditor Shad White has named Larry Ware as the new Director of Investigations. Anne McGrew, an accountant for the MCEC, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to one charge of conspiracy to commit embezzlement. NAACP CEO Derrick Johnson speaks onstage during the 53rd NAACP Image Awards Colors Behind the Look: a Celebration of Fashion, Costume Design and Glam Event in Los Angeles, Feb. 25, 2022. Foote was one of three members that voted down the claims docket out of protest to the item being removed. The panel was held at Germantown High School and comes after Auditor White issued an August 2022 report showing the societal and economic costs of fatherlessness in Mississippi. PDF OFFICE OF THE STATE AUDITOR - State Auditor of Mississippi Black Jackson Fathers Dispel Myths As State Auditor Focuses on Agency Directory. They have been privy to everything thats been going on in the city of Jackson for the last year, year and a half regarding garbage, he said. In Mississippi, the state auditor's office began digging into the pharmacy allegations against Centene in the summer of 2019, according to a letter obtained by MCIR. We talked with the city attorney about that, and I wasnt satisfied with her answer, Foote said. More than two years later, federal authorities have not brought any charges related to the welfare scandal. The eight-month long investigation showed that the department gave more than $98 million to two non-profits . White has pointed to slow action by federal authorities as justification for his agency investigating and making the arrests. William Winter is the very last person who would ever do anything like that, but if I had come across evidence, I would have removed myself. Attorneys fees pulled from Jackson claims docket due to auditors investigation, Truck possibly connected to Hinds County jail escape found in Newton County, Teen arrested after two dead, four others injured in Bay St. Louis shooting, Paraplegic fisherman speaks to Beulah Baptist Church, Eleven players with Mississippi ties selected in 2023 NFL Draft, City of Byram awarded thousands of state dollars for infrastructure projects, Belhaven football puts a smile on the face of little girl, First Alert Forecast: mild breezes Monday; rain, storm chances return late week, Request a First Alert Weather School Visit. The spotlight on White has grown more intense in the wake of Mississippi Todays The Backchannel investigation, which showed Bryant using private texts to influence his welfare director and try to broker a deal with a pharmaceutical startup that enticed him with stock in the company. Whoops! DHS hired a firm to conduct a forensic audit to detail how millions of dollars meant to help the poor in Mississippi were misused under former Executive Director John Davis. In his time as State Auditor, Shad Whites team has stopped the largest public fraud in state history, made the State auditor talks about duties, current investigations White said the recovery funds also involved inappropriate salary increases approved by some boards of supervisors as well as election commissioners being paid for more days than allowed. Its mind-boggling that Mr. Favre wants to have a trial about that question. Box 1699 Jackson, MS 39215-1699. largest civil recovery after an auditors investigation in the history of the office, and concluded cases that, collectively, led to hundreds Continue Reading, JACKSON, Miss. Phil Bryant. ", Johnson said the Mississippi state auditor's findings were referred to the Justice Department, "however, nearly two years later, despite the overwhelming documentary evidence of fraud, forgery, and abuse in this matter, DOJ has not yet launched a criminal investigation. The charges are one count of embezzlement, three counts of false representations to defraud the government, and one count of alteration of records. As a result of this investigation, a settlement was reached in the amount of $55.5 Million. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Legislative Update In Mississippi, the state contracts with health providers to provide Medicaid coverage to nearly 500,000 people. They show the two men telling Bryant the company had received public funds, and that the governor intended to make his own business deal with Prevacus after he left office. r&s1jF&00_oc\] 2023 www.clarionledger.com. Instead of paying New York litigators to try this case, hed be better off fully repaying the amount of welfare funds he owes the state., JACKSON, Miss. Six people including John Davis, have been indicted on state charges in the case. Brett Favre remains defendant in Mississippi welfare case - The The total amount of funds recovered by the Office of the State Auditor for Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2022, was $1,960,926.57. 750 North State St. Jackson, MS 39202. Internships Attorney Lawrence Deas confirmed to the Clarion Ledger Monday morning his firm is still investigating. Editorial cartoons and photo essays are not included under the Creative Commons license and therefore do not have the "Republish This Story" button option. JACKSON, Miss. However, one attorney that was part of the same firm was billing the city at a rate of $375 an hour, he said. White did face questions about Bryant, given that the former governors director of human services and close friends of Bryant were among those arrested and indicted, and the malfeasance appeared to involve programs or companies Bryant had championed. The state auditor and Mississippi attorney general are investigating whether Centene Corp., as a provider of Medicaid drug services, failed to disclose discounts on pharmacy services . The New's nonprofits received $9.4 million from MDHS from the time the auditor's office began investigating them in July 2019 until Feb. 4, 2020, two days before Nancy and Zack New were charged . DHS concealed alleged fraud after welfare scandal - Mississippi Today 10 0 obj She has quickly established trust in the Capitol as a fair, honest, and hardworking young reporter. xY]o6}7pbf8i3kx`^xsn;)L}/zE'tAHdqvAv5\b:9:X4IqGN;Z7nTWz3\TFSt7"hUZ2m+(GqrI((9}*JA4p&HAittQ:YIX}0|("8viY0m|k@d(Fs >)% d( ,w@VD Cj x@ dPm RAB a State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement: Continue Reading, JACKSON, Miss. Mississippi MS state auditor may be looking into GJAC spending endobj Phil Bryant. SF 1424 1st Engrossment - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Six people have been indicted on state charges, including Davis. Published: Apr. "The Auditor's investigation revealed MTC failed to appropriately notify and credit MDOC when its staffing levels at the Marshall County facility fell below the minimum amount required by the contract," the press release added. Careers Faulk has also been issued a demand letter totaling $22,031.26. Confirmation of the probe comes a week after Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch and State Auditor Shad White announced a $55 million settlement with Centene, another Fortune 500 company, to resolve allegations Centene had over-billed the state Division of Medicaid for prescription drugs. Mr. Favre has called Auditor White and his team liars despite repaying some of the money our office demanded from him. Transparency Stephanie Churchill Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement JACKSON, Miss. MS state auditor's office releases report of Medicaid fraud claims announced a $55 million settlement with Centene, it opted to extend the contract for another year, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Hurst, a Trump administration appointee who left office in early 2021, declined a recent request for comment on the case. Originally from Florence, Mississippi, Pender is a journalism graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and has received numerous awards throughout his career for reporting, columns and freedom of information efforts. The auditors office refused to turn the messages over to Mississippi Today after a public records request, and the outlet has a pending Ethics Commission records complaint against the office. Patterson said that were he in Whites position, I would hope that I would have recused myself or brought the attorney general in to do the investigation., Having said that, its a timing thing, Patterson said. White's office helped lead the investigation into Mississippi's $77 million welfare fraud scandal, . In this May 4, 2017, file photo, Nancy New, owner and Director of the Mississippi Community Education Center (MCEC) and New Learning, Inc., is shown at a social function in Jackson, Miss. BX)VPaz]o^8{c?d>qYS{~/$q}r8KL=y|11#fOi+x4?&bqPV@dAN/^3R9tIPG_JmDEZ=}:;8)G9uuwn|IfXN du.wf*Q@4.6V&P\7>x[x~^=W%C:[`=KsypRVRCG isvJeJZ[KShL=o_D@4PLd__0wn:-U=i7?k=y+\4b Box 956 At least two Mississippi Medicaid recipients are making six figures and living in million-dollar homes, according to State Auditor Shad White, and he wants legislators to strengthen Medicaid. All rights reserved. Agency Directory | MS.GOV 4 0 obj <> Is there a way to get the required matching funds? The Deputy Director over the Investigations Division, or his/her designee, may be authorized by the State Auditor to meet in a closed session with a public body to discuss preliminary investigative findings, to give public officials notice of demands for recovery of public funds or Instead, the Mississippi Department of Human Services allowed well-connected people to fritter away tens of millions of welfare dollars from 2016 to 2019, according to the state auditor and state . He served as policy director when Bryant was lieutenant governor and was his gubernatorial campaign manager in 2015. Even small instances of noncompliance, youre talking about potentially big savings, White said. What is the cost of Mississippi deciding not to expand Medicaid? 6 0 obj Got a story tip? All others, we audit. Shad, youre welcome to use that.. DHS audit shows 'egregious misspending,' Mississippi auditor says - WAPT You cant edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. - Today State Auditor Shad White announced former Hancock County Coroner James Faulk has been indicted on multiple charges. Both women pleaded guilty to conspiracy and embezzlement. This is the entry-level of professional program auditor work. Attorney Felicia Perkins confirmed during the April 17 hearing that the memo referenced in the court filings was the document being submitted. In its report, the auditors office found two people who were receiving benefits despite reporting six-figure incomes on their state taxes. The guilty plea was recorded in Judge J. Kelley Luthers courtroom. JACKSON, Miss. Voting along with him were Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley and Ward 6 Councilman Aaron Banks. Steve Patterson was state auditor from 1992 to 1996, when he resigned after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of using a false affidavit to buy a car tag. Job openings are posted for recruitment with Workplace Investment Network (WIN) Job Service Offices and on the Mississippi State Personnel Board (SPB) website at www.mspb.ms.gov. White also faced questions early on and criticism from the U.S. Attorneys Office as to why he didnt promptly bring in federal authorities, who have massive investigative resources, particularly since the malfeasance involved federal tax dollars. Last week Governor Tate Reeves signed HB 405, a key piece of State Auditor Shad Whites 2023 legislative agenda. - Today State Auditor Shad White announced former Hancock County Coroner James Faulk has been indicted on multiple charges. April 25, 2023 at 9:05 a.m. EDT. On the weekends, his father was Today State Auditor Shad White announced former Hancock County Coroner James Faulk has been indicted on multiple charges. On Tuesday, the council voted down the claims docket after an item to pay approximately $45,000 in councils attorneys fees was pulled from it at the behest of the City Attorneys Office. Hartley questioned the timing of the auditors investigation and how the auditor was made aware of the councils expenses. 3 0 obj DpTJ He noted that "funds from these programs are to be used for the neediest and most vulnerable in our society.". Especially if I wasnt going to take strong action on it, I would turn it over to somebody else.. The NAACP called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate years of allegations of widespread welfare fraud and misspending in Mississippi totaling over $94 million, according to a letter obtained exclusively by ABC News. 8d Documents obtained by WLBT earlier this month showed Auditor Shad White had launched an inquiry into the councils legal expenses related to its nearly two-year-long battle with the mayor over garbage pickup. ", He said in the two-page letter to Garland that "failure to investigate may lead to the impression that DOJ is continuing the previous administration's pattern of looking the other way when laws are broken by white state officials, especially when the wrongdoing disproportionately harms minorities. Richards filed its first complaint against the mayor and council last summer for failing to pay the company for trash collection services. Email Anne: anne@magnoliatribune.com. White said in a 2020 press conference the case was the "most egregious misspending my staff have seen in their careers at the Office of the State Auditor." Bryant appointed White as state auditor, a job that has been a launching pad for runs to higher office, and supported him in his subsequent election. An investigation into whether UnitedHealth is also wrongly charging the state's Medicaid program for prescription drugs is ongoing. Phone: 601.576.2800 Former Mississippi Gov. Millions of dollars from the Mississippi Department of Human Services were misspent for personal use by grant recipients, on family members and friends of staffers, according to an audit released by State Auditor Shad White. To those families, I say, I'm incredibly sorry that this money did not go to your benefit as it should have. Mississippi investigating Medicaid drug services provider Centene Management & Training Corporation failed to meet staffing obligations, putting staff and inmates at risk. We believe that an informed Mississippi is a better Mississippi. Youre not only jeopardizing your integrity but the integrity of the purpose youre pursuing Those facts raise the question of whether or not it passes the smell test, Johnson said. The council did not immediately approve a new contract with the company and residents were left without pickups for approximately two weeks. In 2019, State Auditor Shad White launched an investigation into the PBM serving the states Medicaid program. William Winter, whom I worked for as governor and a little bit on a campaign and I was his legal counsel, Mabus said. This represented the largest civil settlement resulting from a State Auditors investigation in the history of the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor. In this May 4, 2020, file photo, Mississippi State Auditor Shad White speaks during a news conference in Jackson, Miss. Since then, UnitedHealth has made almost a quarter-of-a-billion dollars from Medicaid services in the state. The questionable funds included $5 million for a lease agreement for a multi-purpose wellness center that would later become a volleyball stadium, $635,000 for a virtual reality lab that included individuals who weren't identified as needy and $44,000 to retired professional football players for football camps that focused on student-athletes and did not address helping at-risk youth. Founded in 2016 as the states first nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom, Mississippi Todays roots in Capitol coverage have grown to encompass a myriad of beats beyond politics and policy, including education, public health, justice, environment, equity, and, yes, sports. If legislators granted the Mississippi Division of Medicaid the ability to review income tax records as part of determining an applicant's eligibility, the agency could cut down on potential fraud, White said. Mississippi Office of the State Auditor NewsStatute of Limitations on

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