Mississippi auditor reports minimal recovery of misspent welfare funds
Mississippi State Auditor Shad White announced that the state recovered $18,000 in the past year from funds misspent during a 2020 welfare scandal. The total amount recovered now stands at $1.5 million, less than 2% of the $96.3 million White estimates was misused from 2016 to 2020, according to his July 31 Audit Exceptions Report.
The report details cases of public fund misappropriation, with White emphasizing that while his office identifies misspent money, the authority to collect those funds lies with Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s office. A spokeswoman for Fitch said the attorney general’s office has been actively pursuing recovery and prosecutions related to public corruption.
White, a Republican, and Fitch, also a Republican, have a history of legal disputes over authority. The Mississippi Supreme Court in June ruled that the attorney general holds the power to sue for recovery of misspent funds.
White’s office has issued 87 demands totaling $10.9 million in fiscal year 2026, with nearly $1.1 million recovered or returned. Since White became auditor in 2018, demands have been issued in 103 cases totaling $15.8 million, most of which are pending or in litigation. The report notes that the attorney general’s office has acted on only eight of those cases.
Michelle Williams, chief of staff for Fitch, stated that the attorney general’s office closed one case and has five pending, with ongoing efforts to recover funds and prosecute fraud. The office of the attorney general has indicted individuals in fraud cases totaling $12 million and recovered over $101 million during Fitch’s tenure.
The report also highlights demands issued to Management & Training Corporation for understaffing at three Mississippi correctional facilities. The contractor has repaid approximately $5.9 million out of the $7.4 million demanded.
White concluded that the office remains committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and maintaining integrity in its investigations and recovery efforts.
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