Favre, current & former MS Coast officials owe millions, state says. Here’s who & how much

Mississippi Coast native and former Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Brett Favre is among those who still owe money to the state for alleged misspent public funds, according to State Auditor Shad White’s 2024 audit exceptions report.

The report covers the fiscal year that ended in July, and includes a list of current and former Coast officials who owe over $2 million in fines , restitution, or both, for embezzling or misspending public money.

The state auditor’s office recovered $6,290,619.64 for the fiscal year. Of that, the state’s Investigations Law Enforcement Division issued 37 demands for the recovery of $1. 35 million in misspent or embezzled money.

Not all audit “exceptions” listed in the report are criminal violations.

In Favre’s case, White is pursuing civil action to recover $729,790 in interest on $1.1 million in public welfare dollars that Favre and his business partner at Favre Enterprises received. In the civil filing, White argues the money was misspent on projects backed by Favre.

Favre received the welfare dollars in 2017 from the Temporary Assistance for the Needy Families program, or TANF, to do promotional work for a volleyball arena at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi.

Favre repaid $500,000 to the state in 2020 and 600,000 in October 2021, but White has pursued civil action against Favre to recover the interest.

Favre, who has not been charged with a crime, is among 14 other people or organizations that were issued demand letters for repayment to the state for misspent or embezzled funds as part of the state’s largest welfare investigation.

Here’s a list of other Mississippi Coast cases with repayment demands:

Harrison County

Mike Ludlow

• Embezzled: $6,678.32
• Payments in 2024 fiscal year: none
• Balance owed: $6,678.32

On May 5, 2021, the auditor’s office sent Mike Ludlow, a former maintenance director for the Biloxi Public School District, a formal demand for $6,678.32. Ludlow was indicted on felony charges of embezzlement and false representations to defraud the government by submitting fraudulent timesheets for work in the Biloxi School District when he wasn’t present. He has since pleaded guilty to the charges.

Paul Cannette

• Embezzled: $244,819.78
• Payments for fiscal year 2024: $4,400
• Balance owed: $219,236.28

In November 2017, Cannette, as former chief of police for Biloxi Schools, was indicted on a charge of embezzlement and a formal demand of $244,819.78 was issued.

Cannette pleaded guilty and was sentenced in August 2018 to 10 years in prison with 5 1/2 years of that sentence suspended and 4 1/2 years to serve in prison, followed by 5 years of post-release supervision.

Harrison County District 4 Supervisor Kent Jones

• Misspent funds: $37,095.28 plus interest and investigative costs.
• Payments: Paid in full

On May 31, 2023, a formal demand was issued to Jones to repay $37,095.28. The total includes $3,989.63 in interest and $12,400.63 in investigative costs. The auditor’s office investigated Jones and demanded repayment for a television set, carpet, and other items purchased for a makeshift apartment at the ball field press box. Jones has not been charged with a crime.

Mississippi Department of Marine Resources

William W. “Bill” Walker

• Embezzled: $362,689.14

• Payments in fiscal year 2024: $78,000

• Balance owed: $50,105.14

The auditor’s office formally demanded $362,689.14 from Bill Walker , former MDMR executive director, on Nov. 7, 2013.

On March 10, 2014, Walker pleaded guilty to embezzlement and was later sentenced to 5 years in prison, 3 years supervised release, a fine of $125,000, $572,689 in restitution. Of the $572,689, Walker’s son, Scott Walker was responsible for repaying $210,000.

Joseph Ziegler, Jr.

• Admitted involvement in the embezzlement of $258,268.75

• Payments in fiscal year 2024: none

• Balance owed: $63,462.57

Former DMR Chief of Staff Joseph Ziegler, Jr. was issued a formal demand in the amount of $258,268.75 on Nov. 7, 2013.

On Aug. 14, 2014, Ziegler pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor misprision of a felony, meaning he knew a felony crime had been committed. He was sentenced to 90 days of house arrest and three years of supervised probation.

Mississippi Department of Health

Casey Craven

• Allegedly embezzled: $2,282.19

• Payments in fiscal year 2024: None

• Balance Owed: $1,171.19

The auditor’s office sent a formal demand for $2,282.19 to Casey Craven, a former Health Department employee, for misappropriated funds in December 2019.

Gulf Coast Community Action Agency

Linda Harvey-Irvin and Markuntala Croom

• Restitution for bribery: $531,236

• Payments in fiscal 2024: None listed

• Balance Owed: $531,236

Former Gulf Coast Community Action Agency Deputy Director, Linda Harvey-Irvin , and Markuntala Croom, a former vendor to the agency, were ordered to jointly pay $531,236 in restitution .

On Feb. 19, 2015, Irvin pleaded guilty to bribery and was sentenced the following July to 85 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release and 100 hours of community service. She was ordered to jointly pay $531,236 in restitution with Croom.

Croom also pleaded guilty to bribery and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release. She was also assigned 100 hours of community service.

This case was worked jointly with the FBI. Federal restitution is still owed.

Donald Walton

• Restitution for bribery: $31,000

• Payments in fiscal year 2024: None listed

• Balance owed: $31,000

A second Gulf Coast Community Action Agency vendor also pleaded guilty to bribery. Donald Walton was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and two years of supervised release. Walton was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and a forfeiture judgment of $31,000 that covered the amount he received in the bribery scheme.

This case was worked jointly with the FBI. Federal restitution is still owed.

Gautier

Eric Maye

• Embezzled over $1,433
• Payments in fiscal year 2024: $300
• Balance owed: $1,133.34

Eric Maye, a former Gautier and Moss Point police officer , was indicted on two counts of felony embezzlement in two cases in 2023. In the Gautier case, Maye admitted using his city of Gautier gas card to fuel up his personal vehicles. In the Moss Point case, Maye admitted to stealing an unspecified amount of money from a drug suspect while working as a Moss Point police officer. Maye pleaded guilty to both charges and was sentenced to five years of house arrest followed by five years of post-release supervision. The OSA issued a demand letter to repay the amount embezzled in 2023.

George County

Kevin Mardis

• Embezzled: $13,480.94
• Paid in fiscal year 2024: $1,192.44
• Balance owed: Paid in full

Former JROTC Instructor Sgt. Kevin Mardis pleaded guilty to embezzling $13,480.94 in 2015. He was sentenced to 3 years of non-adjudicated probation and ordered to pay $6,740.47 to the George County School System and $6,740.47 to the Office of the State Auditor. Mardis paid $1,194.44 in fiscal year 2023.

Gulfport

Courtney Page

• Allegedly embezzled: $3,106.28

• Payments in fiscal year 2024: None

• Balance Owed: $3,106.28

On Aug. 25, 2016, the auditor’s office sent a formal demand for $3,106.28 to Courtney Page, a former utility cashier for the Gulfport. The misuse of funds case was sent to the attorney general on March 17, 2017. For Fiscal Year 2022, no payments have been received.

Pam Baker

• Overpayments to staff: $423,801.15

• Payments in fiscal year 2024: None

• Balance owed: $179,977.22

On June 27, 2012, the OSA issued a formal demand for $423,801.15 to Dr. Pam Baker, former director of the South Mississippi Regional Center, for the overpayments she allegedly made to her staff.

Jackson County

Alicia Landaverde , former utilities clerk in city of Gautier

• Embezzled $8,514.06
• Amount owed: $8,514.06
• Balance owed: Paid in full.

The former utilities customer service representative embezzled $8,514. In June 2023, she was indicted on embezzlement charges and making false statements. In February, she pleaded guilty, was sentenced to five years probation, and was ordered to pay fines, fees and court costs.

Roger Gibson

• Allegedly embezzled: $3,912.71
• Payments in 2024 fiscal year: None listed
• Balance owed: $1,514.75

Roger Gibson, an employee at Jackson County Emergency Services, was indicted in December 2016 for conspiracy to commit fraud. The auditor’s office formally demanded the missing $3,912.71 in March 2017. Prosecutors decided not to pursue the 2016 indictment, but the auditor sent the case to the attorney general in March 2018.

For fiscal year 2022, no payments have been received.

Linda Smeby

• Embezzled: $9,113.85
• Payments in fiscal year 2024: $700
• Balance owed: $1,082.35

Linda Smeby, a former bookkeeper for the Keys Vocational Center, pleaded guilty to embezzlement and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in May 2013. The sentence was suspended and she was ordered to serve five years of probation and pay restitution of $9,113.85 by making payments of $100 per month.

For fiscal year 2024, $700 payments have been received, leaving a balance of $1,082.35.

Cherie Ward

• Embezzled: $2,970
• Payments in fiscal year 2024: None listed.
• Balance owed: $1,636.70

Cherie Ward, a former employee of the sheriff’s office, was indicted on a charge of embezzlement of $2,970 in November 2017. That November, the OSA sent a formal demand for the missing funds. The case was sent to the attorney general in March 2018. The sentence was suspended pending no violation of state or county law for six months, payment of $100 to the Jackson County Circuit Court and restitution to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department in the amount of $1,340 plus interest. Prosecutors reduced the charge to a misdemeanor offense.

Hancock County

Dana Beaman

• Embezzled: $197,408.94
• Payments in fiscal years 2023 and 2024: $1,200
• Balance owed: $92,912.43

Beaman received a formal demand for $197,408.94 in embezzled funds in July 2017.

In 2018, a grand jury indicted then Deputy Justice Court Clerk Dana Beaman on a charge of embezzlement. She pleaded guilty on Dec. 19, 2019.

Beaman was sentenced to 20 years in prison with 14 years suspended and six years to serve, plus five years of post-release supervision.

Pearl River County

Michelle McBride

• Embezzled: $82,416.37
• Payments in fiscal year 2024: None
• Balance owed: $22,225.55

The OSA issued a formal demand to Michelle McBride, a former Pearl River County Crime Stoppers board member, for $82,416.37 plus interest in March 2021. On Aug. 20, 2021, McBride pleaded guilty to embezzlement and making fraudulent statements and representations. She was sentenced to 20 years, with 18 months to serve under house arrest and 18.5 years of post-release supervision.

Darlene Comesana

• Embezzled: $92,394.75
• Payments in fiscal year 2024: None listed.
• Balance owed: $74,255.25

Darlene Comesana, a former Pearl River County School District bookkeeper, pleaded guilty to embezzlement in August 2009. The court withheld acceptance of the plea for five years and ordered her to pay restitution in the amount of $40,000.

The OSA issued a formal demand in the amount of $92,394.75 in March 2011 and the case was transmitted to the attorney general the following May.

Election Commissioner, Reggie Hanberry

• Salary overpayment: $3,903.39
• Payments in fiscal year 2024: $1,600
• Balance owed: $1,703.39

OSA issued a formal demand to election commissioner Reggie Hanberry on March 30, 2023, for overpayment of his salary.

STONE COUNTY

In September 2021, the OSA issued formal demands to the following former and current county supervisors:

Former Supervisor Scott Strickland , $28,758.53;

Former Supervisor Dale Bond , $36,085.32;

Supervisor Lance Pearson , $29,805.33;

Supervisor Daniel Harris , $24,698.22;

Former Supervisor Clark Byrd , $36,085.32.

For Fiscal Year 2023 and 2024, no payments have been received.

Former Circuit Clerk Jeffrey O’Neal

• Embezzled: $335,353.61
• Payments in fiscal year 2024: None listed
• Balance owed: $149,840.98

Former Circuit Clerk Jeffrey O’Neal was indicted on four counts of embezzlement totaling $335,353.61 in September 2021. That month, the OSA sent a formal demand for the embezzled funds.

In February, a special judge sentenced O’Neal to 10 years in prison, suspending five years of that sentence and leaving five years to serve.