Former Gwinnett County IT Deputy Director Charged with Computer-Related Crimes in Alleged Embezzlement Scheme

A former Gwinnett County Information Technology deputy director was handcuffed and charged with multiple computer-related crimes after allegedly attempting to reroute county funds for his use. The scheme led to the arrest of James Smith, highlighting the troubling reality of white-collar crime within local government institutions, as per the county's website.

The issue came to light on May 15, when Gwinnett County’s Treasury Division noticed a suspicious vendor payment that didn’t add up. The discovery triggered a police investigation, which soon focused on James Smith, the Deputy Director of Infrastructure and Operations. In his role, Smith had access to key financial systems, and he is now accused of using that access to misappropriate county funds.

According to Gwinnett County's official news release, the investigation revealed that the alleged misconduct involved altering financial documents to redirect funds into Smith’s accounts. This led authorities to charge him with Computer Theft, Forgery, and Criminal Attempt to Commit Theft by Taking. Smith was booked into the Gwinnett County Jail yesterday morning.