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Two convicted of fraud

June 8, 2020 Filed Under: News

CORRIDOR CHRONICLE

 

Two convicted of fraud

by Ron Gregory

 

Charleston — State Auditor J.B. McCuskey has announced government fraud convictions in two West Virginia counties, Lewis and Kanawha.

In Weston on Friday, Lewis County Circuit Judge Jacob E. Reger convicted William Bennett, 56, of the felony crime 

of Unauthorized Use of Purchasing Card. Judge Reger imposed a penalty of 1-5 years in the penitentiary and 

suspended the sentence for five years of supervised probation. Bennett was also ordered to pay $5,100 in restitution 

to the Lewis County Board of Education. The defendant was directed to pay back the schools within two years, as well 

as writing an apology letter to the Board. Bennett is a former employee of the Board,

where he used his county issued purchasing card for his own personal use. 

Monday, in Charleston, Kanawha County Circuit Judge Jennifer F. Bailey convicted Connie Robin Smith, 61, for the 

felony crime of embezzlement. Smith had been the Municipal Court Clerk for the City of Nitro when she embezzled 

thousands of dollars from the municipality. Judge Bailey ordered the defendant to pay $70,000 in restitution to the 

city, a sum she has already returned. Smith was sentenced to serve 1-10 years in prison, but the sentence was 

suspended for five years of supervised probation. 

The cases were based on investigations by the State Auditor’s Public Integrity & Fraud Unit. 

McCuskey said he is pleased to see forward progress on cases brought by his office. 

“The coronavirus has impacted the daily lives of every person in this great state. While court hearings were 

temporarily on hold for a period, the hardworking investigators in my office continue to aggressively pursue fraud. 

Especially in these difficult financial times, when cities and counties are struggling to find funds and meet budgets, 

every dollar counts. We will continue to find those who steal from the public treasury and hold them accountable,” 

said McCuskey. 

The Auditor’s office monitors all state and local government purchasing card transactions to identify internal fraud. 

The office is staffed with 14 fraud examiners, fraud monitors, investigators and lawyers. Attorneys for the office 

currently serve as special prosecutors in five counties around the State, prosecuting criminal conduct. 

“If anyone knows of any fraud against the state, county or local government, they should call (833) WV-FRAUD or 

file an anonymous online report at www.wvsao.gov.” said McCuskey. 

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