Former Jackson City employee pleads guilty to federal fraud scheme

In federal court Thursday, a former Mississippi capital employee pleaded guilty to fraudulently receiving tens of thousands of dollars in a grant meant for art projects in the city.

U.S. Attorney Darren J. Lamarck said in a press release that Keyshia Sanders, 47, pleaded guilty to participating in a wire fraud scheme that violated federal law. Sanders has been the subject of several investigations into her behavior during her time as Jackson’s customer service manager.

For almost one year from August 2020 to July 2021, Sanders used fraudulent invoices to send grant money meant for the city to herself instead, according to court records. Grants from the Community Aid & Development Corporation, a non-profit organization in Georgia, were supposed to be invested in artists, creative teams, and small arts organizations of color in Jackson.

US POSTAL SERVICE FRAUD CAUSED ALMOST $5 MILLION IN LOSSES

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Fraudulent transactions in the course of the fraud scheme resulted in losses of approximately $54,000, according to prosecutors.

Sanders is due for sentencing on April 20, 2023 in Jackson. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

In November, the Jackson City Council voted to open a second investigation into allegations that Sanders misappropriated federal COVID-19 relief funds intended for the city’s use. Council member Kenneth Stokes said at least $1 million in public funds was missing, according to WJTV-TV.

Sanders’ lawyer Cynthia Spitjens did not respond to a request for comment.