May 8, 2025 – State Auditor Shad White has announced that Special Agents from his office have arrested Benjamin Coleman as part of a detailed investigation into unemployment compensation fraud called Operation Payback.
Coleman allegedly submitted falsified weekly certification sheets to obtain unemployment funds from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
“My office found that during COVID, Mississippi handed out over half a billion dollars in illegal unemployment compensation payments,” said State Auditor Shad White. “We will continue to drop the hammer on criminals who can be identified and recover as much of this misspent money as possible.”
If convicted Coleman faces up to $20,000 in fines and up to 15 years in prison. All persons arrested by the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Bob Bakken provides content for DeSoto County News and its social media channels. He is an award-winning broadcaster, along with being a reporter and photographer, and has done sports media relations work with junior and minor league hockey teams. Along with his reports on this website, you will find this veteran media member providing sports updates and high school football play-by-play on Rebel 95.3 FM Radio.
