A former mayor of the Town of Gibson, Tennessee, used $2,000 in municipal funds for personal benefit. The review found that during his tenure from July 2017 to July 2023, he authorized a $7,000 check from town funds for a utility truck, even though the vendor’s invoice was $2,000 less, according to the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.
Investigators determined the former mayor directed the excess $2,000 from the check to be applied toward the purchase of a separate vehicle for his private business. The comptroller’s report stated that town officials were unaware of the actual purchase price of the truck or the personal vehicle transaction, as reported by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.
On November 19, the former mayor repaid the Town of Gibson the full $2,000 in misappropriated funds, the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury said. Comptroller Mumpower said, “This investigation highlights the need for strong internal controls, proper documentation, and written policies and procedures for purchasing.” The Comptroller’s Office has posted the full investigative report and a map of investigations across Tennessee on its website and provides a toll-free hotline and an online system for reporting suspected fraud, waste, or abuse of public funds.
