The Auditors demand accounts for nearly 12,000 unfilled mandatory shifts at the Marshall County facility from 2017 to 2020. <>>> (WLBT) Mississippi Department of Human Services Executive Director Bob Anderson says though the State Auditor issued civil demands to eleven individuals and groups earlier this week, the agency will continue working with former U.S. Attorney Brad Piggot on the criminal investigation. Six people have been indicted on state charges in the case. If Medicaid had the legal ability to do the analysis that we did here, there would be potential savings for the state and for Medicaid, he said. The item pulled from claims was for work Mills, Scanlon, Dye & Pittman did to defend the council in 2022 Richards Disposal suit. 8d MS state auditor may be looking into GJAC spending The state auditor investigation division is responsible for the investigation of alleged or suspected violations of Mississippi law, including fraud and embezzlement by public officials related to . White at the time said that his office moved swiftly and without notifying or involving federal authorities so as to halt the scheme before any more money was misspent or stolen. Today State Auditor Shad White announced former Coahoma Community College employees Gwendolyn Jefferson and Stacie Neal were each sentenced to serve five years in prison. stream Today State Auditor Shad White announced former Hancock County Coroner James Faulk has been indicted on multiple charges. Mississippi Auditor Refers 10, Including Brett Favre, to Attorney Box 956 Anderson says MDHS will hold all appropriate parties accountable for fraud, waste, and abuse related to the federal block grant money. Mississippi Today later obtained communications between the governor and principal players in the scandal discussing the allocation of financial aid. Those oversights are costing the state money, White said. DpTJ ", 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. 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. TUPELO Unveiling more details about his investigation into the spending of federal money intended to help the needy, State Auditor Shad Whit Mississippi auditor Shad White finds $118M in . Today State Auditor Shad White hosted a panel discussion on the positive impact present fathers have on their children. But now they initiate the action to look at some invoices with all the other things that could have popped up on their radar?, Did they all of a sudden call the city up and say, Hey, weve been looking at your invoices, and we want to make sure that you guys are doing everything OK? Hartley said. It would potentially be approving an unauthorized expenditure, said Williamson. Email Anne: anne@magnoliatribune.com. manager, for charging Medicaid more than the allowed price cap. 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. "This new law is important because white-collar crime gets more and more complex every year," said Auditor White. White has said that after his initial eight-month investigation and arrests, he has involved federal authorities and turned over everything his investigators have. All rights reserved. Federal criminal investigations are notoriously slow, but also notoriously thorough. A 2020 investigation by The Marshall Project exposed how prison operator MTC billed the state millions for ghost workers. By Cindy Boren. Mississippi Office of the State Auditor | LinkedIn - SB 2338 of 2022 which requires the Department of Human Services Fraud Investigations Unit to report suspected crimes to . Multiple requests for comment to UnitedHealth went unanswered. Even small instances of noncompliance, youre talking about potentially big savings, White said. 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. endobj In Mississippi, the state contracts with health providers to provide Medicaid coverage to nearly 500,000 people. 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. <> the law, and earned a certificate in forensic accounting (the use of accounting to discover fraud) from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. 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. 3 0 obj endobj the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar, and Harvard Law School. It wasnt until MDEQ released their notice of violation to us that an emergency could come pursuant to that notice.. Mississippi State Auditor Shad White released a report in August 2022 that said absent fathers cost taxpayers $560 million a year, with incarceration rates contributing to those costs. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File - Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. Instead, White has credited Bryant as the whistle blower who prompted his investigation, and said that it was Bryants welfare directors responsibility to know the law and refuse any improper directives from the governor. 0:00. Civil demands issued by the State Auditor include Davis and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre. Continue Reading, P.O. Mr. 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. In a statement about the DHS lawsuit White said: We will continue to work alongside our federal partners who have been given access to all our evidence for more than two years to make sure the case is fully investigated.. PIE Application, Mississippi Office of the State Auditor 2020, Statute of Limitations on Bribery Increased, State Auditor Shad Whites Statement on Theodore Teddy DiBiase Jr. Lee O. Sanderlin is an investigative and political reporter covering the state of Mississippi. The Office of State Auditor Shad White has issued the following statement: Everything Auditor White has said about this case is true and is backed by years of audit work by the professionals at the Office of the State Auditor. Bryants appointment of his former campaign manager and policy director White as state auditor in 2018 was something of a surprise to most political observers. A bill for an act relating to state government; designating the state fire museum; changing provisions in state government operations; modifying enabling statutes for the Legislative Commission on Cybersecurity; modifying provisions related to the Office of the Legislative Auditor and the Legislative Audit Commission; authorizing forms of collateral for state deposits; modifying procedures for . MDHS has provided information relevant to the case as requested by federal authorities, but has not been apprised of the status of the federal investigation beyond a statement that it is on-going.". The NAACP's Johnson said in his letter, "these apparent crimes were ignored by DOJ under your predecessor Attorney General, and we are calling on you to take action that is long overdue. In June 2021, the State of Mississippi reached a $55.5 million settlement with the Centene Corporation and their PBM thanks to this investigation, OSA said in the report. Mississippi State Auditor Shad White has referred a case to the state's attorney general involving NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre and nine others who received millions in welfare dollars that should have gone to help the state's poorest. 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. In its report, the auditors office found two people who were receiving benefits despite reporting six-figure incomes on their state taxes. You have to credit Mississippi Today. Just as in the forensic audit you saw the auditors reached out to a number of people. Last year we recovered nearly $2 million, Auditor White said. State Auditor: Mississippi may be paying millions to ineligible <> In his time as State Auditor, Shad Whites team has stopped the largest public fraud in state history, made the announced a $55 million settlement with Centene, it opted to extend the contract for another year, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Banks declined to comment when asked outside council chambers following Tuesdays meeting. It is ultimately going to be the discretion of the feds to determine who is culpable in this case.. All rights reserved.). Mississippi state auditor says state's DHS wasted tens of millions of grant money . Phil Bryant on Tuesday, July 17, 2018, moments following his being sworn in to office at the Capitol. State Auditor Shad White has named Larry Ware as the new Director of Investigations. Advertising Non-Discrimination Certification. You can call him at 601-559-3857, send it to LSanderlin@gannett.com or message him on Twitter @LeeOSanderlin. In a sampling of 180 benefit recipients, the auditors office found nine examples of people making too much money to qualify for Medicaid benefits. (WLBT) - More details are emerging about the state auditor's investigation into the Jackson City Council's legal expenses, as are accusations about what sparked the state's inquiry. . Please click here to report it and include the headline of the story in your email. Hurst, a Trump administration appointee who left office in early 2021, declined a recent request for comment on the case. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using. Stephanie Churchill Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement JACKSON, Miss. The fight has resulted in at least eight lawsuits, including one that was settled last week. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. ", White said in 2020 after the indictments, "This is an example of money going to or should have gone to folks who needed it through a federal program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). This is the entry-level of professional program auditor work. We continue to protect the publics trust through evaluations of accounting practices and aggressive investigations of alleged wrongdoing. The rule that I lived by was if there is any question whatsoever, dont do it, said Pete Johnson, who served as state auditor from 1988-1992, and ran unsuccessfully for governor, losing to Kirk Fordice in the Republican primary in 1991. Careers (844) 437-6282 Website. Transparency This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. BX)4}um[69iI`1F@mlW|!=/ 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 Nancy New told The Clarion-Ledger in 2020, "I just have to say that I think there's a lot more information to come and we're just waiting our turn.". Pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, are third-party groups that negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies and drug stores. Audit requested by MDOC commissioner finds hundreds of thousands - WLOX 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. Two top advocacy groups are accusing Mississippi State Auditor Shad White of misleading Mississippians with a report claiming that up to 5% of Mississippians receiving Medicaid do so fraudulently.White announced in a statement on Tuesday that his office had discovered that the Mississippi Division of Medicaid was "potentially handing out millions to ineligible people." She received the National Press Foundations 2020 Poverty and Inequality Award. the State Auditor in Jackson or to the public body. JACKSON, Miss. March 23, 2023 JACKSON, Miss. An incumbent in this classification is responsible for planning, conducting, and reporting audits and investigations of state and local government programs; thus the incumbent has developed a high level of both technical competence and supervisory proficiency . Auditor White names new Director and Deputy Director of Investigations 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. But some holes in the audit have since emerged, especially relating to Bryants involvement behind the scenes. DHS audit shows 'egregious misspending,' Mississippi auditor says - WAPT Shad went on to earn degrees from the University of Mississippi, <> As for other efforts to recoup mishandled funds, in the FY 2022 Audit Exceptions Report, Auditor White said the Investigations Law Enforcement Division issued eighty-seven formal demands for a total of $101,026,109.27 and recovered misspent or embezzled funds totaling $1,926,802.10. The email, along with a memo interpreting state law regarding the hiring of outside attorneys, was sent to the mayor and council just days before the two parties were expected to appear before Judge David Clark in Hinds County Chancery Court. (WLBT) - More details are emerging about the state auditors investigation into the Jackson City Councils legal expenses, as are accusations about what sparked the states inquiry. On Thursday, the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor (OSA) announced last months return of $63,660.90 to public coffers. The state's settlement with Centene provides a glimpse of what the UnitedHealth probe may center on. PHOTO: US Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, April 1, 2022. k"=z@T "In June 2021, the State of Mississippi reached a $55.5 million settlement with the Centene Corporation and their PBM thanks to this investigation," OSA said in the report. In there another agency that can investigate $2 million road? With 176,000 Mississippians without healthcare, the state has chosen not to expand Medicaid. 11 0 obj 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 investigators powers as a result. The job title. The text messages between Bryant, the owner of Prevacus and retired NFL star Brett Favre have been in the possession of the auditors office for more than two years. Johnson said under similar circumstances, if he had such connections to someone potentially involved, he would have recused himself or limited his role in the investigation. Investigators are working to determine if OptumRX charged more than contractually allowed, costing taxpayers as a result. Richards filed its first complaint against the mayor and council last summer for failing to pay the company for trash collection services. The fact is that it was work that was performed over a period of six months for the city council. 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. Auditor Claims State Paid 'Ghost Workers' at Privately Run Prison Anna Wolfe, a native of Tacoma, Wa., is an investigative reporter writing about poverty and economic justice. To republish online, simply click the button, copy the html code and paste into your Content Management System (CMS). The famed quarterback and Mississippi native received $1.1 million in funds from a nonprofit whose . He later added, "when you read this one-hundred-plus page audit, you will see that, if there was a way to misspend money, it seems DHS leadership or their grantees thought of it and tried it. Our investigators have proven we will take on the biggest cases down to the smallest to protect taxpayer dollars, said Auditor White. Today Shad, his wife Rina and their children live in Rankin County and are faithful members at St. Richard Church. An attorney for Davis did not respond to ABC News' request for comment. The council did not immediately approve a new contract with the company and residents were left without pickups for approximately two weeks. 2rT/5}d+|D @kRO\AZhwdxd;!bfxkt74Pk]*J90y[nbf"cy Management & Training Corporation failed to meet staffing obligations, putting staff and inmates at risk. 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. Continue Reading. All others, we audit. Shad, youre welcome to use that.. Both of them also own homes valued at more than $1 million. White and numerous other officials have declined comment on the case for months citing a gag order from a state judge. Their vast undercover, wiretap and other resources allow the FBI and DOJ to cast wide nets over criminal conspiracies. By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with Mississippi Today. The charges are one count of embezzlement, three counts of false representations to defraud the government, and one count of alteration of records. Today State Auditor Shad White announced Stephanie Churchill has pleaded guilty to embezzlement in Benton County Circuit Court. Mississippi is now taking steps to give investigators more time to look into bribery cases. Continue Reading, JACKSON, Miss. An early oddity in the auditors probe came when White went to the Hinds County District Attorneys Office notoriously understaffed and suffering huge backlogs of cases after he launched an eight-month investigation without notifying federal authorities. "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. The total amount of disallowed expenditures, he says, was $7,764.50, for which no payments have been received. DHS concealed alleged fraud after welfare scandal - Mississippi Today 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. Phil Bryant's own words about his role in the state's welfare fraud scandal are a great understatement.. And now at the three-year mark since investigators began nibbling at the edges of what state Auditor Shad White has called the largest public fraud case in state history, things still don't look good. 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 largest civil recovery after an auditors investigation in the history of the office, and concluded cases that, collectively, led to hundreds Shad White, the Mississippi state auditor, right, and Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens discuss the auditor's office investigation about millions in federal money meant for the poor, in . We talked with the city attorney about that, and I wasnt satisfied with her answer, Foote said. 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. Phil Bryant have helped cast doubt over the independence and rigor of the state welfare investigation led by White. ", 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. But White did not reveal that storyline to the public. Voting along with him were Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley and Ward 6 Councilman Aaron Banks. An OSA report titled, Pharmacies vs. Big Corporations: Survey Illustrates the Challenge of PBMs for Independent Pharmacies said PBMs were originally created to manage these reimbursements from a health plan to your local pharmacy. Job announcements include. No further arrests have been made since Whites office initially arrested six people in February of 2020 Bryants head of DHS and another agency employee, former pro wrestler Brett DiBiase, a nonprofit and private school owner and her son and an accountant that worked for them. Mississippi $V1\_wf^_W1obsY,(b>3*joxu9&x^?jxVf+,#?Yu_#po"iRxE4?Rh[V6tXHPI,:B59+Y T The charges are one count of embezzlement, three counts of false representations to. The council and Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars since 2021 on attorneys fees over the citys garbage collections. The auditor's office has been investigating several of the state's pharmacy benefit management contractors since 2019, after hiring Ridgeland-based law firm Liston & Deas on the state's. Auditors were able to find the fraud by examining the beneficiaries state income tax returns and comparing them to the income listed on their applications, according to the report. endobj "It doesn't look good." Former Gov. The total demand amount$1,991,774.10includes interest and investigative costs. Find out what jobs are open by sending an email to Recruitment@osa.ms.gov or follow the instructions below. However today, the Auditors office says PBMs are large corporations that have incredible power in the pharmaceutical industry. Jackson, MS 39205-0956 <> Alyssa Bass/Mississippi Today, Special to Clarion Ledger, an audit conducted on behalf of the federal government for the fiscal year ending in June 2020, a quarter of Mississippians receive Medicaid benefits, it reached a $55.5 million settlement with Centene, An investigation into whether UnitedHealth, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Investigating Mississippi's State Welfare Scandal - GIJN "The Department received the letter and will review it," a spokesperson for the Justice Department told ABC News in a statement. We believe the taxpayers of Mississippi deserve no less., By joining our newsletter, you are confirming that you agree with the Privacy Policy. It's unclear where any continuing federal or state investigations stand at the three-year mark. 2 0 obj Box 1699 Jackson, MS 39215-1699. But the findings are statistically significant and can be reasonably extrapolated, according to Stephanie Palmertree, director of finance and compliance at the State Auditors Office. Jon Salem, who was fired from the council in August, said he was fired for bringing forward concerns that the council was misspending grant money, including those from local government. BX1I &)c)K1 dXJ5! The state auditor's office also declined to provide further details, citing the need to protect an ongoing investigation. But you need to know that you have advocates who are standing up for you, and this is not going to be allowed and it's stopping right now.".