JACKSON – State Auditor Shad White announced in an annual Audit Exceptions Report that his office recovered $905,225.71 in taxpayer funds and returned them to the deserving entities in Fiscal Year 2025.
During the last seven years, Auditor White’s team recovered more taxpayer money than in any other seven-year period in state history according to records in the Office of the State Auditor (OSA).
“The State Auditor’s office continues to serve as the watchdogs of your money, year after year, thanks to the committed work of our 135 auditors, investigators, analysts, and support staff,” said Auditor White.
Additionally, the report responded to questions about whether the Attorney General was consistently enforcing the findings of OSA investigations in court. Since May 2024, the State Auditor’s office has transmitted 29 cases to the Attorney General requesting standard legal guidance on whether the Attorney General will enforce the findings of those investigations in court. Those cases represent over $4.5 million in misspent taxpayer funds. To date, the Attorney General has only provided legal guidance on one of those cases, a case in Indianola.
During Auditor White’s entire time in office, the Office of the State Auditor has sent 83 cases to the Attorney General’s Office so they could litigate to recover misspent money. At present, no action has been taken by the Attorney General on 74 of these cases.
State law requires the State Auditor’s office to publish an Exceptions Report every year.
The 2025 Exceptions Report is organized by county so taxpayers can easily search for cases near them. The report can be found online at the Auditor’s website under the “Reports” tab.
The reports indicates local finding for Tate and surronding counties for:
Town of Coldwater, Wayne Hayes, issued Aug. 7, 2017, for $795.36, to date there has been no payment.
Town of Coldwater, George Nangah, issued Jan. 17, 2019, for $302,973.19, to date there has been no payment.
Tunica Co. Board of Supervisors, Mardis Jones, issued Feb, 22, 2021, for $1,081,143.07, to date there has been no payment.
City of Potts Camp, Paula Mansell, issued Feb. 9, 2018, for $188,532.22, to date there has been no payment.
Red Banks VFD, Linda Mannon, issued Oct. 14, 2021, for $47,229.12, to date there has been no payment.
Red Banks VFD, Odis Mitchell Pruitt, issued, Oct. 14, 2021, for $4,037.13, to date $30 has been paid.
Marshall Co. School District, Dana Walker, issued Oct. 24, 2022, for $53,594.68, to date $500 has been paid.
City of Byhalia, Delainer Richmond, issued Sept. 5, 2023, for $6,497.26, with $6,497.26 paid.
City of Byhalia, Deborah Weathers, issued Sept. 5, 2023, for $8,062.07, with $8,062.07 paid.
City of Byhalia, William Rose, issued Sept. 5, 2023, for $5,187.53, with $5,187.53 paid
City of Byhalia, William Crane, issued Sept. 5, 2023, for $5,238.49, with $5,238.49 paid.
City of Oxford, Allen Anthony Jones, issued, Sept. 24, 1998, for $53,422.38, with $3,250 paid.
University of Mississippi, James Thomas, Dec. 1, 2020, for $1,912.42, to date there has been no payment.
Coles Point VFD, Martha Chrestman, issued Sept. 5, 2013, for $58,372.57, to date there has been no payment.
MS Dept. of Transportation, Connie Shegog, issued Dec. 7, 2015, for $12,751.02, to date there has been no payment.
MS Dept. of Transportation, Torrie Willey, issued Dec. 7, 2015, for $101.36, to date there has been no payment.
