John Davis, who last year retired from the Department of Human Services, used some of the funds to pay for Brett DiBiase, a former professional wrestler, to go to drug rehab, the state auditor said. But their counsel argued that a broader order that prevented White and Anderson from discussing Davis tenure overall such as policies, procedures and events separate from the criminal charges would be too restrictive and prevent them from being transparent with the public about ongoing investigations and findings. MDHS discusses largest embezzlement scheme in state history, upcoming policy changes, Mother arrested for leaving children home alone to go to gym, police say, Suspect accused of kidnapping, raping child in South Memphis pleads not guilty, Whitehaven mourns loss of high school band director, City of Memphis takes formal stance on 5-year residency requirement for mayoral candidates. Many employees have said they were fired for menial things. (WJTV) A former employee for the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) was arrested for embezzlement after an investigation by the Investigations Division of MDHS. Several people were arrested and charged on Feb. 5, 2020. a proud member of the The documentation submitted by the News claimed this was to pay DiBiase for conducting training classes that never, in fact, took place, investigators said. State auditors said Ms. New and Mr. New concealed the embezzlement using fund transfers, fraudulent documents, at least one forged signature and deceptive accounting measures. Before joining the staff at Mississippi Today in September of 2018, Anna worked for three years at Clarion Ledger, Mississippis statewide daily newspaper. Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. Any chance you and Nancy can help with that? MDHS released a statement about the arrests. White confirmed in an interview earlier today that Governor Bryant, himself a former state auditor, was indeed the whistleblower who brought the case to the state auditors office in June. by Anna Wolfe, Mississippi Today June 22, 2021, This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
. This spring, Le Creuset has introduced an exciting new shade thats already selling fast: shallot, a soft lavender with pink and slight gray undertones. (WLBT) - 3 On Your Side is learning more about how the former head of the Mississippi Department of Human Services ran the agency and treated employees. Connecting the dots: the MDHS embezzlement scandal The cast of characters, villains and heroes, in the Mississippi Department of Human Resources (MDHS) case seems to grow by the hour. All TANF funds will go through the RFP process, Blanton said. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. MDHS paid Mississippi Community Education Center $19,404 two days before the state auditor's office arrested the News and former Human Services Executive Director John Davis as part of the. Great Jones Cookware Review: Is It Worth Buying? Records are kept for all cases from the last 20 years. Here's an attempt to connect the players and what little is known thus far of the plot in this shameful drama: He also denied knowing Favre and Vanlandingham were receiving public funding for Prevacus, though text messages suggest he knew. Five plead not guilty in MDHS embezzlement scheme MDHS hires new law firm to recover misspent TANF money - WAPT This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Copyright 2020 WLBT. Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the latest updates on the Mississippi welfare scandal. Wooten also said that its impossible to separate the discussion of Davis criminal culpability, as it relates to the narrow criminal charges against him, from the overall alleged scheme that occurred under his watch. Ex-Mississippi official accused of embezzling money meant for poor Former Art Institute worker pleads guilty to $2M embezzlement scheme - MSN Brett DiBiase pleads guilty in human services embezzlement scheme If youre not able to add the byline, please include a line at the top of the story that reads: This story was originally published by Mississippi Today and include our website, You cannot republish our editorial cartoons, photographs, illustrations or graphics without specific permission (contact our managing editor. A former top state official in Mississippi pleaded guilty Thursday to state and federal charges in connection to an embezzlement scheme that auditors say misused millions of welfare dollars,. She explained that she quit due to fear of losing her license and the requirements of the supervisor. The centers director had made a call to her warning her that we were there. After DHS employees reported their findings to the Governor, the State Auditor was notified and the investigation was launched. Executive Director John Davis was two-and-half-years into his time as head of the agency when they decided to add an Office of Inspector General within DHS. District Attorney John Weddle's office will prosecute the case. Help keep the momentum going by rejoining our member community today. MDHS sits down to discuss the embezzlement case for the first time since the news broke a week ago. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WAPT-TV. The two nonprofits ran an anti-poverty program called Families First for Mississippi, through which most of the money that was allegedly stolen, $4.15 million, or potentially misspent, $94 million, flowed. You cant edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. The former director of Mississippis welfare agency was arrested on charges that he took part in a scheme to embezzle millions of dollars for personal use and to pay for a former professional wrestler to go to a luxury drug rehabilitation center, the state auditor announced on Wednesday. DHS went on camera with WLBT to answer questions about what happened and what they've changed to prevent the problem from happening again. MDHS discusses largest embezzlement scheme in state history - WLOX Advertise with Us. In July 2019, he announced he would resign by the end of the month. All TANF funds will go through the RFP process, Blanton said. Phil Bryant's office in June 2019. She also worked as an investigative reporter for the Center for Public Integrity and Jackson Free Press, the capital citys alternative newsweekly. The funds mostly came from a federal welfare grant program administered by the Mississippi Department of Human Services, and both the head of the nonprofit and the former head of the MDHS have been charged with and pleaded not guilty to embezzlement and fraud for their roles in the scheme. Special agents from the office of State Auditor Shad White have arrested John Davis, who retired after 28 years with DHS on July 31 . (WLBT) Thats to be open with how funds are distributed and who theyre going to.. Brett Favre Scandal: Alleged $8 Million Welfare Scam, Explained - Forbes Contests. She received the National Press Foundations 2020 Poverty and Inequality Award. Reginald Johnson had been with MDHS since 2007. NEMiss.NEWS is a locally owned and operated online news magazine containing news, information, opinion, etc. Kelly Clarkson's Home Collection Is Up to 74% Off During Way Day Deals, The Best Wayfair Way Day Deals 2023 Starting at $30. We confirmed that it was John Davis who was making those approvals on the money. He had the latitude to unilaterally disperse funds as he felt necessary or wanted to, Blanton confirmed. Others doing this kind of thing are on notice: this will not be tolerated now, White said in a statement. Fugees Rapper Pras Michel Found Guilty in Illegal Foreign Influence Scheme The organizations executive director, Nancy New, 67, and its assistant executive director, Zack New, 37, were arrested on Wednesday, along with the centers accountant, Anne McGrew, 63, state auditors said. I dont care how politically connected a person may be, Mr. White said. If youre not able to add the byline, please include a line at the top of the story that reads: This story was originally published by Mississippi Today and include our website, You cannot republish our editorial cartoons, photographs, illustrations or graphics without specific permission (contact our managing editor. A top scholar, he won a Rhodes Scholarship and earned a Master of Science degree from Rhodes College in England. A former Department of Human Services employee, Latimer Smith, 26, was also arrested, according to Mr. White. Davis attorney recently asked the court to extend an existing suppression order in his case to include White and Anderson, citing two recent articles Mississippi Today published about the case. The funds were instead taken by a group of influential people for their own benefit, and the scheme is massive. In a statement, the Department of Human Services said it had self-reported the information that initiated this investigation to the governors office in June 2019. MDHS Embezzlement Part 1: Charges and evidence The Hinds County District Attorney secured an indictment on December 14, 2021. Mississippi Community Education Center has also failed to turn over documents the agency needs to complete its forensic audit or conduct a full grant closeout the departments process for ensuring the nonprofit complied with grant requirements and spent the funds properly. Editorial cartoons and photo essays are not included under the Creative Commons license and therefore do not have the "Republish This Story" button option. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's embezzlement allegations targeting the flour scheme in Punjab have upset the interim government, as it termed the former . You have to credit Mississippi Today. They then converted funds to their personal use and concealed the conversion through various fund transfers, fraudulent documents, at least one forged signature and deceptive accounting measures, investigators said. Hurst said federal law enforcement was not aware of the MDHS investigation until they read about it in media reports. Boston police officers acquitted in overtime fraud case Brett DiBiase was a former professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment,who later worked at DHS as the deputy director of transformational change, according to his LinkedIn page. You may opt-out by. The audit released Tuesday also criticized the welfare department for continuing to fund two now-embattled nonprofits well into fiscal year 2020, as Mississippi Today first reported last July, even after learning that the auditor suspected they were responsible for the misspending of tens of millions of welfare dollars, the audit said. Nancy New and her son Zach New are scheduled to stand trial on welfare embezzlement charges in October. Davis is indicted along with Nancy New, her son Zach New, Anne McGrew, Latimer Smith and Brett DiBiase. According to a Mississippi Today review of public records, the agency sent out 110 letters during roughly the last year under Anderson compared to four letters in fiscal year 2019 under Davis. According to the auditor's office, there are at least six people involved, though the investigation is ongoing. The indictments, which were returned by a Hinds County grand jury, include a range of violations involving fraud and embezzlement, White said in a news release. The former head of the Mississippi Department of Human Services has been arrested as part of a multi-million dollar embezzlement scheme that among other things paid for a former . The State Auditor's office says Davis allowed 98 million dollars meant for the needy to flow into nonprofits where the money was spent to hire lobbyists, on contracts for family members, to purchase vehicles, even repaying a loan. All rights reserved. I just wanted you to be aware of this information in case this comes up.. All six people charged are Mississippi residents, including the former W.W.E. You can only publish select stories individually not as a collection. There really hadnt been the internal auditing capability, the program integrity ability before that we had at that point that was created, explained DHS Chief Communications Officer Danny Blanton. An eight-month investigation revealed that the accused conspired to illegally obtain millions in public funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program administered by DHS, White said. We work to provide free, accessible news for everyone to create a more informed Mississippi and hold public officials accountable. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. ", Danny Blanton Chief Communications Officer with DHS did give us this statement. Anyone can read what you share. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. New described issues with their partner, Victory Sports Foundation owned by former football player Paul Lacoste, who was paid to conduct a boot camp-style fitness program, often attended by professionals and lawmakers. Bryant denied introducing Favre or Vanlandingham to the nonprofit director, Nancy New. MDHS discusses largest embezzlement scheme in state history, upcoming policy changes, Beloved Mississippi school bus driver killed during crash with 18-wheeler, Eleven players with Mississippi ties selected in 2023 NFL Draft, Truck possibly connected to Hinds County jail escape found in Newton County, Paraplegic fisherman speaks to Beulah Baptist Church, Belhaven football puts a smile on the face of little girl, City of Byram awarded thousands of state dollars for infrastructure projects, 58-year-old man shoots brother after argument over a dog in Hazlehurst, Request a First Alert Weather School Visit, Advertising Non-Discrimination Certification. I'm the Executive Director. Mike Hurst, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, complained on Thursday, Feb. 6, the day after the arrests, that his office had not been notified in advance by the state auditors office. On Tuesday, Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Adrienne Wooten spoke strongly in defense of a gag order in the case of former welfare director John Davis, saying that media coverage of the scandal threatens the courts ability to assemble an impartial jury. Editorial cartoons and photo essays are not included under the Creative Commons license and therefore do not have the "Republish This Story" button option. Is there more to be revealed about the diversion of tax money to private schools? You have to credit Mississippi Today. Johnson says he had heard rumblings from other employees but didn't pay much attention. The documentation submitted by the News claimed this was to pay DiBiase for conducting training classes that never, in fact, took place, investigators said. The indictment alleges his agency entered a $48,000 contract with ex-wrestler Brett DiBiase to conduct opioid addiction education courses, and paid him knowing he wasnt conducting the work because he was in rehab. She explained that they were absolutely doing nothing in either center.. Show your support>>. Hurst said, 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.. 0:53. What it looks like is that one side of the story is being put out there, Wooten said. It ends today.. You do not have the right to treat taxpayer money as your own or to lie to the taxpayers about what youre doing with that money. Everything was going well. As we do with all of our partners that receive Families First funding through Mississippi Community Education Center, we evaluate their services and outcomes and review their expenses, New wrote. I said well what is the reason? 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Whites statement said John Davis, former head of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, had been arrested and charged in connection with a multi-million-dollar embezzlement scheme.. Instances of fraud and abuse in Mississippis welfare system were widespread, including among other organizations who received subgrants from the Families First nonprofits. We believe that an informed Mississippi is a better Mississippi. Ricky Jones, who has served as president of 100 Black Men of Jackson since March, said his organization just learned about the investigation last week when DHS notified them they would not be receiving a welfare grant this year. Phil Bryant and other officials in his home state in order to influence roughly $8 million in welfare payments for himself, pharmaceutical company Prevacus, and a volleyball court for the University of Southern Mississippi, according to an expose published last week Mississippi Todaythough Favre has not been charged criminally or accused of a crime. Johnson said, "I never had any problems prior to that. According to the auditor's office, the classes never took place. following organizations: Whoops! He added that, Anything they gave to the campaign will be there waiting to return to the taxpayers and help the people it was intended for. The first announcement of the arrests was apparently made on the website of the (Brookhaven, MS) Daily Leader at 4:51 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5. All rights reserved. She asked if media coverage of an auditors investigation is initiated when a reporter asks the office a question or after the office publicizes the case.
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