Tunica housing director allegedly stole $765K while turning away needy homeowners
Mardis Jones, a government contractor, had just secured a sweet deal with the Tunica County Board of Supervisors to run the county’s one-of-a-kind housing rehabilitation program when he got the call from Linda Fay Engle-Harris in late 2014.
Engle-Harris, a now 66-year-old retired schoolteacher, was living in a white cottage with bright blue detail that was left to her by her parents and on the verge of collapse.
Under his county contract, Jones earned $12,000 a month to vet applications for county-funded home repairs and manage the expenses, according to a 2019 report by the state’s legislative watchdog committee that sharply criticized the program administration and eventually led to a State Auditor’s investigation.
He stole an additional $765,000, soaking up 80% of the program funds over about six years, State Auditor Shad White alleged in embezzlement charges announced Thursday.
Read more: https://mississippitoday.org/2021/02/25/tunica-housing-director-allegedly-stole-750k-while-turning-away-needy-homeowners/
