Former director of DHS, five others arrested

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Six people have been arrested in connection with a multi-million-dollar embezzlement scheme.

One of those people is John Davis, the former Director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

Also charged, former DHS employee Latimer Smith; Dr. Nancy New, owner and Director of the Mississippi Community Education Center (MCEC) and New Learning, Inc.; Zach New, Assistant Executive Director of MCEC; Anne McGrew, accountant for MCEC; and Brett DiBiase.

Special agents from the office of State Auditor Shad White are accusing the defendants of stealing millions of public funds from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) which is a program administered by DHS.

Investigators said that they used a variety of business entities and schemes to defraud taxpayers.

“The funds that were illegally obtained in this case were intended to help the poorest among us. The funds were instead taken by a group of influential people for their own benefit, and the scheme is massive. It ends today,” said Auditor White.

https://www.wlox.com/2020/02/05/state-auditor-former-director-dhs-five-others-arrested-largest-embezzlement-scheme-state-history/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WLOX-TV&fbclid=IwAR3bqw8MiMHG11QInqPfFeGBLDRs5OQTikIOH1QZZuoRWfgnH_w7rfZhIu4