Mississippi has joined a regional task force aimed at cracking down on fraud across the Southeast. The partnership includes officials from the Department of Justice, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina, according to the DOJ.
The initiative involves 18 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, seven state attorneys general offices, five federal law enforcement agencies, and more than 50 state officials, the DOJ said. The effort aims to share intelligence and resources to more effectively target fraud schemes.
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Secretary of State Michael Watson, State Auditor Shad White, and State Treasurer David McRae are among the state officials participating. Fitch highlighted the launch of a new task force, dubbed Joint Task Force Vigilance, which was awarded more than $2.5 million to combat fraud and related crimes. The task force will employ prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and legal analysts to target fraud, human trafficking, and drug crimes.
Fitch emphasized that the partnership demonstrates Mississippi’s commitment to fighting fraud with the full authority of state and federal agencies. McRae noted that fraud does not respect state lines and praised the collaboration for improving early detection of fraudulent activity.
In addition to the partnership announcement, the DOJ disclosed recent enforcement actions across the Southeast. These include 17 cases involving over $350 million in potential losses. Two notable cases from Mississippi involved a small business loan fraud scheme and a conspiracy to steal unemployment and disaster relief funds, with combined losses exceeding $15 million.
U.S. Attorney Scott Leary led the case involving Lakeith Faulkner, an SBA employee who orchestrated a scheme generating more than $11.5 million in fraudulent loans. Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger prosecuted inmates accused of stealing approximately $4.3 million through falsified identities linked to unemployment and disaster relief programs. The trial for the latter case is scheduled for February 2027.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
