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Buncombe County Officials Indicted for Wire Fraud
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A federal grand jury in Asheville has returned a 32-count criminal bill of indictment, charging three former top Buncombe County officials with wire fraud and aiding and abetting, conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, receipt of bribes and kickbacks and aiding and abetting, and federal program fraud and aiding and abetting.
The indictment names Wanda Skillington Greene, 67, Jon Eugene Creighton, 66, and Amanda (Mandy) Louise Stone, 59, all of Buncombe County, who allegedly used their official positions to enrich and benefit themselves, depriving Buncombe County citizens of their right to the honest services of the defendants.
According to allegations, the kickback and bribery scheme involved multiple, all-expense paid trips, meals, tickets, and other benefits, totaling over $15 million in contracts with Buncombe County for consulting and engineering services.
The investigation, led by the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, uncovered a wide-ranging scheme that spanned decades, with the defendants allegedly abusing their power to line their own pockets.
“When public officials put aside the best interest of the American public and choose to line their own pockets, we are all impacted,” said John Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Charlotte Field Office. “These type of crimes are at the center of the fight against public corruption. The FBI is dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners in the Western District of North Carolina to root out public corruption at any level of office.”
The indictment alleges that Greene, Creighton, and Stone used their positions to award contracts and sign agreements with a private contractor, who received over $15 million in payments from Buncombe County for consulting and engineering services.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina has pledged to hold those responsible for public corruption accountable, saying, “Rooting out public corruption at all levels of government is one of my Office’s most critical responsibilities.”
The case is ongoing, and the defendants are expected to face trial in the coming months. A spokesperson for the Buncombe County government declined to comment on the indictment, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Public Corruption|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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