I-Team: Woman Spends Tax Dollars On Wedding Supplies, Now Focus Of Criminal Probe
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- Опубликовано: 24 май 2017
- By: Randy Travis
Aired: May 24 2017
BARNESVILLE, Ga. - A criminal investigation is underway involving a woman suspected of using tax dollars to help pay for her wedding.
The FOX 5 I-Team broke the story earlier this month involving April Smith, the founder of a non-profit in Barnesville.
The state of Georgia gave April Smith a lot of money to feed hungry children as part of a federally-funded summer food program. A state agency, Bright from the Start, works to make sure kids who are out of school still get at least one good meal each day.
The state partners with non-profits in 153 Georgia counties. One of them -- AD Smith Community Service in Barnesville, founder April Smith.
Each year she and other organizations received the standard warnings to only use those tax dollars for the children. Instead, Smith's accused of mishandling more than $140,000 and now admits owing even more.
The state says they can't get Smith to provide any answers or any refunds.
"Not one single dollar," stressed a frustrated Falita Flowers, director of nutrition services for Bright From the Start.
"Not one response to our request. So at this point we have no choice but to refer the matter to the Attorney General."
"Does that mean your office feels a crime's been committed?" I asked.
"Absolutely."
Troubles surfaced last summer when some of Smith's employees complained they weren't getting paid. Auditors took a deep look at the non-profit's bank account set up to handle that summer food money and discovered some major concerns.
According to that audit, more than $140,000 is unaccounted for or unjustified, including money spent with the Atlanta Falcons and David's Bridal in Atlanta where one of her bridesmaids said Smith bought her wedding dress.
Last year, April Smith got married in a lavish ceremony they're still talking about today.
"Look at this facility Randy," gestured longtime resident Robert Devane as we sat in the new Barnesville park. "It held a beautiful wedding."
Devane broke the story about financial problems with the non-profit through the on-line newspaper the Barnesville Dispatch.
But even he didn't know about the wedding connection. Ms. Smith arriving by horse-drawn carriage, walking on a red carpet with 27 wedding cakes and local dignitaries in attendance.
"What did you think when you saw those pictures?" I asked Devane.
"Shocked," he replied. "Lot of people were shocked. I couldn't believe it."
Especially because April Smith, now April Smith-Scott, owes a lot of people a lot of money. According to court records, $26,353 in back rent for her Barnesville home. According to her recently filed Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition, $22,120.54 to the Thomaston Milk Company that provided milk for the summer food program.
That's not all. There's $22,169.96 to Ingles, $15,839.20 to Global Foods, even $1,505.06 to the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank.
Total amount April and her husband admit owing creditors: $131,062.44. And that does not include what the state says she owes you.
"I hear very, very little good about the situation," Devane admitted.
April Smith-Scott continues to ignore the FOX 5 I-Team's requests for comment. She was not in the office when we stopped by a Griffin church where she runs a food pantry.
"Do you think taxpayers will ever see the money again?" I asked Devane.
"No. No. It's gone," he complained. Then he made this prediction: "Three things are going to happen. One, she's going to be forgiven. Number 2, she's going to have to pay it back. Or Number 3: she's going to have to get suited up for an outfit. With stripes."
If criminal charges are filed, they have to wait until after July 1. That's the final deadline for April Smith-Scott if she does plan to pay back all that money or prove it really was spent for its original purpose -- needy children.
FULL STORY: www.fox5atlanta.com/news/i-tea...
Children can go hungry, but April hasn’t missed a meal!!!😂🤣
Her big ass "shole"haven't🤣🤣😁😁
I feel sorry for those horses that had to pull her big ass!
No kidding. What a low life she and her husband are. All that on a wedding and football.
Yeah! Got to have your priorities!
How many horses did it take to pull her?
Judge: DON'T ACCEPT her bankruptcy petition!! Make her PAY!!
She needs to go to prison...the worst kind of betrayal and the worst kind of greed!
theresa bollman well said
@@chavonmathis4079 Thank you. It's heartbreaking to think of the poor kids who needed this money for food and a little bit of happiness, only to have it stolen from them. I hope God blesses them 100 fold.
Straight up evil.
@@melindaroop1346 This year our upstate NY local gov't made daily deliveries to the homes of all school age children...shopping bags full of enough food for all meals & to share. The milk came in half gallon sizes I am told. They did a great job of lining up big donors & adding tax dollars & it worked so well the kids got fed while the schools were recently closed down too. What a blessing. Everyone should try to do that for the kids. I was so happy to hear about it.
@We the People Excuse me? You must be mistaking someone elses comment as mine. I am not for stealing, especially from the needy. I said she should go to prison. You owe me an apology.
Oh my God this is sickening! That woman stole money intended for feeding needy children. What a demonstration of her true character!!! I could weep!
Needs a good old hiding 🤮
How can someone like that claim BANKRUPTCY?Everything she did was on purpose
She filed bankruptcy to protect her possessions her car and home can't be touched
Probably thought she could scam the bankruptcy system too 😒
She ate all the food
YG SK JR she ate all 27 cracked, gross🤮
Horse & Carriage,27 wedding cakes ,Red Carpet........ridiculous!!!!
and then they file bankruptcy!!!
They act like they are royalty????? They are not!!! She needs to find herself...and quick...no one is going to want her near their money ever again.
And the wedding was tacky!
Look like a church family reunion. Ain't nothing in that woman's wedding look beautiful
She looks classless. So you would expect a tacky wedding.
223-Grand Ma
Haha I like your pic. It's my money and I want it now!! ( for my wedding) LOL
27 wedding cakes?????? 27 Wedding cakes?????? Good grief!!!!!
Naw for real though. Why have a Coca-Cola stand at your wedding? Ratchet if you ask me 🤷🏾♀️.
How do you get behind $26,000 on back rent? WTF?
Squatting. You never pay it and landlords don't prosecute it.
The thing that gets me is she and her husband paid for the wedding, the reception, the caterers, and the Falcons tickets, but they didn't pay the mortgage so they could have a roof over their heads.
For the falcons? Pluezze!
In their evil narcissistic minds, everyone that came to that wedding owes them.
Send this woman and her husband to jail. Harshen the sentence as the crime is taking food out of the mouths of hungry children, LITERALLY!! No excuses, this woman's the devil!!!
I think she's made it quite clear she doesn't mind taking food out of the mouths of hungry children. Now, taking food out of HER mouth when her rolls of fat are rippling from the constant gurgling of her stomach might be a different story.
This will be brief.The wedding, reception, and caterers were paid in full. The Atlanta Falcons season tickets were paid in full. How can two people believe that they can live it up like that when they're behind on their mortgage over $26,000? Filing for bankruptcy isn't going to help them.That money came from the state with the understanding that it is to be used properly.They don't have to answer FOX5's questions, but they'll have to answer the DA's.
Her husband had to have known. They were on the verge of filing bankruptcy. Where did he think all that money came from for those 27 cakes?? A horse and carriage, $6000 dress! Disgraceful!! They should both serve time in jail because you know they will never pay back that money. This could be the only meal some of those children get.
You know people marry their equal
Thank God for SNAP and WIC!!!
Just because she chose not to pay her bills dose not make it ok. She has to be held responsible. Disgusting human. Put her in jail.
Do not pass go go straight to prison!!!
Lock her up!!
April Smith Scott her ignitals spell A.S.S, living up to her name!
Kali Taylor 💀💀
Lol!
This is what having control of money does to people.
EXACTLY.
No self control
cubey You mean some individuals who clearly have NO MORALS...the Love 💗 of Money is the Root of her EVIL!! She’s a disgusting, selfish and greedy individual! Oh man, she needs to find a way to pay...the Families of the Children should Protest at her residence. Ugh 😑🤔🙏🙇🏻♀️🔎🎤😓
Nope. Nice excuse though
This is an embarrassment to a lot of legitimate charities out there doing a wonderful job of making a positive difference in people's lives.
That Director of Nutrition Services looks Well Nourished indeed!
This is why the honor system is shot to hell in the U.S.A.
27 wedding cakes, April ate them all
🤣👍👍
Are there any updates on this case? Id love to know as i use these videos in my non profit management trainings.
By the looks of things, she used the money to feed herself.
That's for sure! She and her husband!😁
@@altonpitts5303 😂😂😂😂😂 That’s facts!
Nothing lower than stealing money for food from needy children 🤦♂️. What a nasty piece of work
Any new updates on this case?
Children went hungry because of her actions.
No, she had food come, she just never paid for it. That's why she owes workers. They feed the kids ....
She actually stole food out of the children’s mouths, and tax dollars from taxpayers!
It's sad how she conned everybody.
This is why the government should NEVER HAVE BEEN ALLOWED to start doling out our tax money to "charities" or any other organizations !
Our so called public servants have taken over a job that has always been BEST handled by communities via local, religious and PRIVATE charities that form organizations that help those in need,
NOT A BLOATED AND CORRUPT 'WELFARE' SYSTEM buying votes.
Many of those charities are problematic where only a fraction of donations go to the actual cause. What is the 'WELFARE' aspect of this?
Crazy how this con women got away with so much money for so long.
27 wedding cakes?
27 cakes what were they planning on having a 3 Stooges pie and cake fight.
Sad from the start.
Problem with most tax dollars.. is there’s no oversight.. your federal government,states, counties and cities give money on “good faith”.. money is always missing when it comes to tax dollars
This happens everywhere. California is 3X Georgia. (at least) That's a fact! 🇺🇸
We have our own version here in Memphis Tennessee by the name of senator Christina Robinson. But at least her trial is set for 2021 so maybe there will be Justice served.
Does not make it ok because other have done it. It's still a crime fool.
@@atomicplaygirl66
Ah yes "whataboutism"
Let me guess, cult member?
I just saw this story now I'm researching
What a POS. Why hasn’t she been charged??
I believe she spent half of the money on tacos and burritos
No Popeyes, KFC,and Walmart orders
Your words.....misspent funds......My words.....stole...
There’s a special place for people that can steal from the vulnerable. It’s very hot.
If the colonel decides to file charges she's going to be
This F'd up!!! Kids count on that!!
When they investigate they will find a lot more theft. Put her in Prison! And get Congressman Cummings and his wife as well. Equal Justice For All !
The guilt must be eating her alive. Lucky for her it don't know where to start.
She has no conscience
From the look of things, it appears that April and her husband are eating up the guilt.😄
The biggest question is: what does the “husband” do that she had to steal that money to pay for that wedding?? Because I know my husband would have paid for anything I want, and certainly wouldn’t have had to take from the mouth of these precious babies to pay for a wedding. She took something that was a necessity for these babies, to pay for something she wanted. There’s a special place in hell for her. Hope she can fit the prison uniform after all of that cake and soda!
He's a big ole country leech🤣🤣🤣
Right? When I got married, we were in deep poverty. But we had enough to pay for the marriage license and the officiant. We had our friends bring food potluck style and people even brought gifts like fresh towels and dishes! It was beautiful! People did mock us for our "ghetto" wedding, but we literally paid only $150 for the whole thing and we are still married with no regrets. How disgusting that people in the US believe that they must have money to get married. People even told us that! " you can't get married without a photographer, caterer, fancy clothes!" Ptah! We had love. That's enough
You know that bum of a male is using her, look at her. She had to steal(got in them positions to do it) Living a fantasy life, knowing the both of them could never afford.
Did she love the children or did she use the children.
Who I there right mind would give money to programs like that
I good meal a day?!?! This lady could bave bought months worth of food for so many kids with what she stole... What a scum bag. We need her greedy butt in jail!
This happened over a year ago. Does anybody have an update?
She still free, no charges .....
I knew it!!!!! This lady is a SUPER con artist. She has the police on her team, many high level people. She has the gift of gab. I knew she had help......
I can’t stand people like her use innocent kids to get rich I hope she get everything she deserves 💯💯💯🤬😡
More cakes??
Life in prison!!!
I think she and her husband ate the $130K. They've NEVER missed a meal.
Lying scamming thief 😱 life in prison would be too good because she would get free room and "3 meals" a day 😠
Where's the conviction?
Any update. By now there should of been at least a court date
Remember , she had dignitaries come to her wedding. Should I say more.....
All she did was feed herself and her pot belly husband!! They need to go without some meals!!
LMBO
That’s effen up because the husband married into that debt 🤦🏾♀️😂😂
He is a bum, used her up. They probably not together ...
Over 2 dozen cakes? What a waste and now the kids are without the food they are promised. Put her in jail.
oh in the town they must be very easy , cause in my town 2 days late on the rent you get the notice you are going to court ,then out the door you go !!!! she s got alot of that money hide somewhere ,i would watch her like a hawk !!!
Apparently she's still at it with the fraud. Collecting over 20 grand from a PPP loan. How is she still able to do all this??
Narcissistic con artist, very charming, and has everyone fooled. I bet if you didn't know this story, she could win you over. Remember , 27 cakes......
This was years ago...I'm sure she is in a higher government position now.
She runs the food pantry but obviously gets first dibs.
DIRECTOR OF NUTRITION SERVICES???!! With that greasy triple chin? Come on...
Ha, she is eating well!
Revolucion19 lol
U don’t know her medical condition, she is a human being. Y don’t you be nice 👍🏽
Revolucion19 💀💀 I can't😂😂🤣
what a bitch!
a selfish bitch at that
who is the hell steals from children that are hungry and the poor she should be ashamed of herself
April still aint paid me🤷😭
Your money got spent on cakes and coke
This is what you get when you put greedy people in charge.
who on earth needs 27 cakes???
How greedy this was for the children feels no shame there's some kids may have went without eating
Throw her big ass in a cage full of hungry kids.
The money did go to food, but not for the children, it went to her. You need a lot of food to feed a big body like she's got.
Yall got me cracking up laughing!
She love food ,most narcissistic people do. 27 cakes, and coke wall. That's her legacy.....
scam in the hood
She can have a nice honeymoon in prison.
Why did she invite so many dignitaries at her wedding? I guess she had to keep up
That's why there is no update .
I dont think the State Tax payer's can afford to feed her she done ate a dozen cakes at her wedding.
She sick and needs to be thrown in jail!
27 friggin wedding cakes!!!
Her claim to fame......🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁
Did she eat all 27 cakes?
Some people just don't need to have assess to large sums of money there not going to do the right thing and how did these children get fed while all this was going on!
She spent all that money, and her wedding looked broke as hell. Like a 15 year old with no taste planned it in the 90s lol cringe
LOLLLLL!!! Good one.
David's bridal does not have nice stuff apparently haha
wow! Damn!
How could she pay it back?
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS LADY's MISMANAGEMENT PROBLEMSSSSSSSSSSS, smhhhh
If she were to spend time in jail they wedding memories should keep her warm and cozy. Just don't think about all those nasty, poor hungry children huddled up and crying because they are starving. Let them eat cake since that seemed to be in plenty of supply. Tell me again how the Devil isn't real!
Those people are not going to see that money. Because she spent it on her wedding.
Shocking NOT
April if u were gonna steal, why didn’t u buy a nice house!
How is she not in prison forever
Plus she ain't pay her workers too! Some people don't need to have control over large amounts of money really
Greed
Go to jail! Go directly to jail!!!
3:23 Why forgive her when clearly she is not sorry and has not asked for forgiveness?
I know the Scriptures tell us to forgive; but instead of paying their employees ,the couple went to the Falcons games.
That is what stops me from donating more than one dollar to people who Ask me for charity.we have people in mall and shopping centres on almost 50%commision collective money but they don't accept cash,they want direct debit on your bank account then they deduct monthly and its difficult to shake off.we are talking about major charities.they only take 20$ P month but it's My money.
This was 5 years ago, any update on this woman's charges/sentence?.
She played victim , now no one can view case.
Oh my
Any updates on this
I’m not surprised at all nowadays. 🙄
Does anyone have an update?
and orange is not slimming honey...The clock is ticking on that marriage, too.
Why she not in jail
What’s the update?
Yea myself and others worked for a contractor that used our monthly wages on her wedding