Auditors from the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts (AD-EPA) have revealed that a sheriff has cowboyed $5m belonging to the county’s bingo fund.
Alabama’s EPA published a report last week following an audit into Greene County Sheriff Jonathan Benison’s operations from October 2018 to April 2024. The report claimed the official had spent millions on unauthorized expenses.
used the millions to pay attorneys, merchants, restaurants
The auditors claim that as overseer of the county’s bingo fund, which is bankrolled by licensed nonprofits, Benison wrongly used the millions to pay attorneys, merchants, restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, and fellow county employees.
According to the EPA report, while the constitutional amendment allows bingo licencees to operate legally, it does not allow “other law enforcement expenses” to come out of the fund generated from gaming assessments. The EPA concluded that “the Sheriff did not comply with the requirements of the (law)” and must repay $4.97m.
According to AL.com, the audit findings will be sent to the State Attorney General Steve Marshall and District Attorney Gregory S. Griggers for collection.