Monday, March 8, 2021

Veterans Cemetery Director Busted for Embezzlement

 State Bean Counter Shad White issued the following statement. 

Today State Auditor Shad White announced Special Agents from his office have arrested Henry Gruno after he was indicted for embezzlement. Gruno is a former director of the Mississippi Veterans Affairs (MSVA) cemetery in Newton County. Gruno was also presented a $29,818.76 demand letter upon arrest. This amount includes interest and investigative expenses.

Gruno is accused of using a credit card and a fuel card to embezzle public money from Mississippi Veterans Affairs. He allegedly used an MSVA credit card to purchase things like barbecue supplies, toys, and luggage. He also purportedly used a fuel card to make purchases far from the cemetery and on days when grounds equipment was not operated. Investigators identified a total of about $14,000 as embezzled from January 2016 to January 2019.

The State Auditor’s office began an investigation when staff at Mississippi Veterans Affairs began to suspect embezzlement and submitted a complaint.

Gruno surrendered to Special Agents at the Newton County Jail. His bond amount will be set by the court.

“I’m glad we were able to hold this individual accountable for his theft from Mississippi’s taxpayers and Veterans,” said Auditor White. “As the grandson of two Veterans, this one hit close to home. I’m also thankful for Director Pickering bringing this matter to our attention.”

“I want to thank Auditor White for his tireless efforts on behalf of the Veterans,” said Mississippi Veterans Affairs Executive Director Stacey Pickering. “We are grateful that his office has helped make sure taxpayer money is spent on our Veterans and is not stolen. We have no stronger advocate for Veterans in our state than Shad White.”

If convicted, Gruno faces up to 10 years in prison and $5,000 in fines. All persons arrested by the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The case will be prosecuted by the office of District Attorney Steven Kilgore.

No surety bond covers Smith’s employment as a cemetery director for Mississippi Veterans Affairs. Surety bonds are similar to insurance designed to protect taxpayers from corruption. Gruno will remain liable for the full amount of the demand in addition to criminal proceedings.

Suspected fraud can be reported to the Auditor’s office online any time by clicking the red button at www.osa.ms.gov or via telephone during normal business hours at 1-(800)-321-1275.

 

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

It NEVER stops-

Anonymous said...

There is no excuse for this, but the powers that be make it awfully easy to use credit cards and not using the most basic audit procedures. I was an auditor for a large bank in Ms. and you better believe we checked expenditures from A to Z. Of course fraudulent loans were a little harder to catch, but they eventually were.

Anonymous said...

Is this the same Henry Gruno that is a registered sex offender since 2003? If so how was he the Director of anything for the state?
https://www.offenderradar.com/offender-details/henry-albert-gruno-of-mississippi-192630

Anonymous said...

Really? $29K is all it took to fall into a life of crime?

Easy Money said...

Man!!! Shad and his team is on the job!! Keep busting them.

Anonymous said...

SHAD you are a saint! I'm a veteran who was in country at Phu-Bhi, Vietnam 1970-1971 at the age of 20 with the 5th Army Infantry Division.
Your outstanding work at busting crooks who steal from the taxpayers is on a level of par excellent! Keep it up. And please run for Governor!

JT said...

Damn@2:45 Maybe it could be the same guy. I guess no one staying in the cemetery would complain. I’m over be shocked at some of the things people do for money. But 29k! If he doesn’t cough up the cash he could be in jail until he’s ready to take up residence at the cemetery.
But we all know that’s not gonna happen. Morality in the U.S. has dropped to an all time low just look at the politicians running the country into the ground. No pride, no shame no thought of those who gave their lives just so they could be censored by Facebook and Twitter. Yep we’re doomed.

Anonymous said...

It makes me wonder what the previous auditors were doing.

Anonymous said...

Again Shad, Canton. Canton, MS Shad.

Anonymous said...

Now do the City of Jackson, Shad.

Kingfish said...

Yup, he is a registered sex offender. Of course, working in a cemetery is probably one of the most isolated jobs for such convicts.

Anonymous said...

Sex offender...cemetery...necrophilia...

Anonymous said...

@2:44, You obviously miss the irony of your statement when you claim that as an auditor of a bank, this would have been caught and claiming that the government makes it "all too easy" with their loose practices.

Did you read the statement - and others like it that Shad has released (i.e. the Dept of Corrections audit that was requested by the Administration, the Dept of Human services that was requested by the Administration, granted after an internal auditor told them about it, or this audit which was requested ------- wait for it ---- by the Administration.

Evidently, they are just like the bank you claim would not have let this get by, that they would have 'caught it'. Well, guess what. The government folks 'caught it' as well. Yes, its a different system, agencies and other entities don't have their own internal auditors - they have to call in Shad (better call Saul kinda deal). But the agencies found it, just like your bank would have found it.

Anonymous said...

So the theft was 14k but the demand letter is for 29k? Somebody needs to audit the investigative costs...

Anonymous said...

Shad: TANF scandal = bigger fish. What are you waiting o.....oh.

Anonymous said...

@8:51, "Gruno was also presented a $29,818.76 demand letter upon arrest. This amount includes interest and investigative expenses."


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