Lashley, 50, allegedly stole $890,000 from Jackson County over a nine-year period.
The Sun Herald reported the accounts-payable clerk was apparently placing stolen funds into a personal savings account she opened under the name “Jackson County Food Drive.” Lashley was arrested back in Nov. 2009 on just one count of embezzlement, but Byrd suspected there was more to the story.
The Sun Herald reported the amount of embezzled funds for the following years:
2001: $19,210.65 Jackson County Supervisors thought highly of Lashley saying she was a trusted employee. “I think everybody was surprised not only by the amount but the length of time it went on,” Jackson County Supervisor Manly Barton told the newspaper. “It (the budget) had gone through eight or nine audits at the county level and at the bank level before it was eventually caught so she (allegedly) figured out a pretty slick way of doing it.
“Ginger was one of the employees who was handling specific accounts. She was kinda an expert in those accounts. She had been recognized as doing a good job,” reported by the Sun Herald.
Lashley was released on a $50,000 bail bond.
Pickering said people involved in embezzlement cases are usually “very smart individuals,” as quoted in the Sun Herald.
Jackson County officials have discussed having more than one person reviewing all accounts from now on.
Sheriff Mike Byrd, State Auditor Stacey Pickering and County Attorney Tony Lawrence began the investigation against Lashley after bank officials tipped off questionable activity.
2002: $57,596.11
2003: $83,397.86
2004: $101,524.97
2005: $113,136.37
2006: $142,244.32
2007: $119,389.66
2008: $129,038.38
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