John Davis, the former Human Services director was arrested by special agents along with Latimer Smith, his employee. In connection with the eight-month-long investigation that revealed the scheme, Nancy New, Zach New and Anne McGrew, all employees of the Mississippi Community Education Center, as well as former professional wrestler Brett DiBiase, were also taken into custody. The charges include fraud and embezzlement. The funds illegally obtained in this case were meant to aid the poorest of us. Instead, the funds were taken by influential people to their own advantage. The scheme is huge. It will end today,” stated Shad White, State Auditor. Wednesday evening’s media release from the human services department stated that the agency had self-reported the information which prompted the investigation to Gov. Phil Bryant, June 2019. In June 2019, Phil Bryant. The agency released a statement saying that they look forward to the case moving through the justice system to a final disposition. According to the release of the auditor, Davis and Smith allegedly made documents to enrich Brett DiBiase using money from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. This program provides basic assistance to the nation’s poorest residents. The release stated that Smith and Davis created invoices to DiBiase to pay TANF funds for teaching classes on drug abuse. However, DiBiase was at a luxury rehab facility in California for his own drug use at the time and didn’t perform the services. “Davis & Smith made documents and arranged payment, knowing that DiBiase wasn’t performing the work he had been hired to do.” The release said that Nancy New and Zach New allegedly used funds granted by the human services department to their nonprofit to pay DiBiase for treatment at Malibu’s treatment facility. They also funneled money to their own use via “deceptive accounting methods,” according to the auditor’s office. The release stated that the News submitted documentation claiming this was to pay DiBiase to conduct training classes, which never took place. According to the release, Davis and the News also used welfare money to invest in Florida’s medical device companies. “I don’t care about how politically connected someone may be. You don’t have the right treat taxpayer money like your own, or lie to the taxpayers as to what you are doing with it. White stated that others are being warned: This will not be tolerated.”