A former deputy executive director at Nashville's Metropolitan Human Relations Commission (MHRC), Mark Eatherly, has been criminally charged following an embezzlement probe by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office. The investigation began after Metro officials flagged suspicious transactions and reimbursements linked to Eatherly, as reported by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.
Investigators found that Eatherly misappropriated a sum over $62,000, using taxpayer money to bankroll personal luxuries such as mobile and internet services, food deliveries, transportation, and jaunts across America and Europe. "This case demonstrates the importance of oversight, accountability, and separation of duties within government offices," Comptroller Mumpower said, as stated by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury. The report described how Eatherly surreptitiously directed Metro funds to his own organizations and masked his tracks by moving money through external entities.
In addition to the direct theft, the former official engaged in unauthorized transactions totaling nearly $200,000, under the banner of the project "Save the Morris" – an initiative supposedly supporting the Morris Memorial Building's preservation efforts. Eatherly routed $101,500 through a private organization to create a "Donor Fund," transferring significant amounts to another fund at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Moreover, another $95,000 was paid by MHRC to the same foundation, all without the required nod from the Metro Council.
Eatherly officially resigned on July 3. Nevertheless, the Davidson County Grand Jury indicted him on November 13 for theft, misconduct, and money laundering. The misappropriated sum was used to smoothly cover the expenses for various undocumented and unapproved initiatives, events, and PR activities related to the Save the Morris project, further underscoring the need for stringent financial checks and oversight. "No single employee should have unchecked control over financial decisions and approvals, especially when taxpayer dollars are at stake," Mumpower said, as per the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.
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