A mayor in Mississippi and his wife were indicted on more than a dozen charges of wire fraud last week after raising money for a school district and allegedly using the funds for personal expenses.
Federal and state authorities announced the indictment of Moss Point Mayor Mario King and his wife, Natasha King, on Friday as the couple made their first court appearance. King, a Democrat, was elected to office in 2017 and still serves as the mayor.
The couple began soliciting money in 2018, according to the indictment, for a gala that “honors and supports organizations that are making a difference for the mental health community. Proceeds support the efforts of mental health in the City of Moss Point with a focus on the Moss Point School District, converting spaces into a therapeutic and innovative learning environment.”
After the gala, prosecutors say the couple used some of the money raised for personal purchases but never gave the residual funds to the school district as was planned.
The indictment says Natasha King used a business credit card to put a $2,000 down payment on a Cadillac. She allegedly later returned the car then deposited the refunded down payment to the couple’s personal account.
The indictment also said the couple used money raised by the gala to pay off credit card debt to buy a dog. King put another down payment of $3,700 on a Volvo, with $3,000 of the money coming from funds raised from the gala, according to the indictment.
“We look forward to our day in court,” the mayor told journalists when asked for comment following their Friday court appearance.
“If convicted, the defendants face up to five years on the conspiracy charge and up to twenty years on each of the thirteen wire fraud charges. Each of the fourteen counts carries a maximum fine of $250,000,” a Justice Department press release stated.
Moss Point aldermen said in light of the news that they can’t force Mario King to resign from his position.
“There has been no indication that the mayor intends to resign as a result of the indictment, and the Board of Aldermen cannot force a resignation,” a statement from the aldermen said. “We understand that many citizens have expressed concerns over the Mayor staying in office due to the nature of the allegations, but we would like to reiterate … ‘Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.’”
John Mosley Jr., who lost the last mayoral election against Mario King, said the controversy is “sad” for the town of roughly 13,350 people.
“It’s a sad day for Moss Point. I feel for the family. I feel for the children. It’s just something I can’t put into words,” he said. “On the same token though, I’m glad that we uncovered something of possible criminal activity. Of course, we have to let process play out, but if it is true it is a sad day for Moss Point, but it could possibly be a good day.”
