Mississippi city ex-CFO accused of embezzling nearly $290K

COLUMBUS, Miss. (AP) - The former chief financial officer of a Mississippi city is accused of embezzling nearly $290,000.

Agents from the state auditor’s office arrested Milton Rawle Jr. on Monday, according to a news release Tuesday from state Auditor Shad White.

Public defender Chance Fair, appointed Tuesday to represent Rawle, was in court and unavailable for comment, The Clarion Ledger reported.

A Lowndes County grand jury had indicted Rawle on charges accusing him of moving $288,000 from city accounts to his own accounts between December 2016 and December 2018, White said.

Rawle resigned as CFO in February 2019 after a suspension for failing to alert council members until November 2018 that the city was operating for the second straight year at a deficit estimated at more than $800,000, The Dispatch reported. He had been CFO since 2013.

A statement from Mayor Robert Smith Sr. said he and Chief Operating Officer David Armstrong asked the state auditor and county district attorney to investigate Rawle, WTVA-TV reported.

Rawle allegedly used labels such as “payroll” and “reimbursement” to cover up his electronic transfers, White said. “Investigators also believe he used clipart to alter city bank statements to conceal the transfers,” the news release said.

Including interest and investigation expenses, Rawle owes taxpayers $354,896.27, White said.

If convicted, he could get up to 20 years in prison and $25,000 in fines.

“Prosecutors should not go lightly here just because Mr. Rawle is a non-violent offender,” White said. “Mr. Rawle stole much more than many burglars could ever get away with. We shouldn’t treat him differently just because he wore a tie and stole with a pen.”