Uhrichsville's former Mayor Mark Haney finds himself on the hook for a series of charges following a vigilant examination by the Auditor of State’s Special Investigations Unit. The investigation, kicked off by a tipster's complaint, culminated in a Tuscarawas County Grand Jury indictment, tossing four criminal counts Haney's way, including two counts of tampering with records and theft in office, reports Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber's Office.
Haney's alleged missteps include receiving improper reimbursements for meals and mileage, and more shockingly, converting the city's credit cards for personal splurges. Set to confront his charges in court on August 13, Haney will face the music in a Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court arraignment. Charged with one misdemeanor count of accepting or receiving unlawful compensation, among other felonies, Haney has not yet publicly commented on the allegations.
Scrutiny intensified when the Auditor of State's Office took a hard look into the complaint received in January 2024. Their Special Investigations Unit, a watchtower against corruption, had shone light on shadowy doings since 2019, leading to a staggering 142 convictions. Their mission, one might say, is to restore the public's trust by preventing acts of monetary malfeasance, recovering over $13 million in restitution to the pockets from which it was wrongly taken.
Between the lines of accounting books and the digital trails of complaints, the SIU has stood guard against fiscal misdeeds, welcoming hundreds of tips via an online portal and their fraud hotline. In the words of an old adage badly put to test, an ounce of prevention carries the weight of gold—when it translates to millions in reclaimed taxpayer dollars. For those who are stirred to tip the balance back to righteousness, the SIU fraud hotline is available at 866-FRAUD-OH (866-372-8364) and is ready to be reached.
