BILOXI, Miss. (AP) - Two former school maintenance workers in Mississippi were arrested on fraud and embezzlement charges for allegedly submitting falsified timesheets, according to the state auditor.
Former Biloxi Public School District employees Michael Ludlow and Mickey Bellande Jr. were arrested at their homes Wednesday, a news release from Auditor Shad White said.
Ludlow is accused of indicating on timesheets between October and November 2020 that he was at work when he was actually absent. The auditor’s statement also says Ludlow conducted personal business at other times he was supposed to be working for the district.
According to investigators, Ludlow allegedly bought controlled substances while on the clock using a vehicle owned by the school district.
Bellande is accused of submitting fraudulent timesheets from May to August 2020 and going home for extended periods of time after clocking into work. The state auditor also says he used a district-owned vehicle to conduct personal business.
Ludlow owes almost $6,700 and Bellande owes more than $2,800, both including interest and investigative expenses.
“I applaud the work of our investigators in this case and their cooperation with other law enforcement agencies to ensure the other illicit activities that were discovered will be fully investigated and prosecuted,” White said in his statement.
Ludlow, 49, was released from jail on a $5,000 bond, the Sun Herald reports. The newspaper said the jail docket shows that Bellande, 40, was ineligible for bond and remains in jail.
The Sun Herald said it’s unclear if these arrests are connected to a state auditor investigation that wrapped up in September, which didn’t find enough evidence to support allegations that the Biloxi superintendent and other district officials misused public funds.
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