Auditor gets convictions, local restitution

JACKSON – State Auditor Shad White announced the Auditor’s office concluded four cases with guilty verdicts for embezzlement and returned nearly $150,000 to taxpayers last month.

Kappi Allen was convicted of embezzlement in the Coahoma Circuit Court chambers of Judge Albert B. Smith, III.

Allen was arrested in June 2019 after she stole over $90,000 from Coahoma County taxpayers.

Judge Smith ordered her to spend 1 year on house arrest and up to 14 years on probation. Allen must also return the money she embezzled. She will not be able to handle public money again.

George Nangah was convicted of embezzlement in Judge Jimmy McClure’s chambers of Tate County Circuit Court.

Nangah was arrested and charged with federal and state crimes in October 2018 after he embezzled over $200,000 from the Town of Coldwater.

Nangah will have spent eight years in federal and state prisons and up to 12 years on probation after his sentences are completed. Both federal and state judges ordered Nangah to repay the money he stole from the Town of Coldwater.

Stacy Frazier and Joseph Edney were convicted of embezzlement in Union and Bolivar County Circuit Courts, respectively.

Frazier will spend up to five years on probation, and Edney will spend up to seven years on probation. Both were ordered to repay all the money they stole, and neither will be eligible to handle public money again.

In addition to these cases, the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor recovered and returned over $140,000 to the city, county, or state agency where it was stolen. Over $17,000 was returned to Harrison County as part of a demand issued to Denise Gill.

The Auditor’s office collected the entire amount of the demand issued to Herb Brewer and returned it to the Town of Walls in DeSoto County. Additionally, nearly $12,000 was recovered from William “Bill” Walker and Joe Ziegler and returned to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

“The Auditor’s office continues to work hard every day to protect your money,” said White. “The early part of this year was marked by our large case at the Department of Human Services, but all government officials need to know we are watching, even if you don’t work at a big state agency, and our cases this month prove that.”

Suspected fraud can be reported to the Auditor’s office online any time by clicking the red button at www.osa.ms.gov or via telephone during normal business hours at 1-(800)-321-1275.