1 city employee fired, 2 on leave following $14.7 million theft, mayor says

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - One city employee has been fired and two others placed on paid administrative leave following an internal investigation into the theft of $14.7 million in taxpayer funds, Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis announced on Monday.

According to Cheriogotis, the theft was not an “inside job” or a technical system breach, but rather an elaborate vendor impersonation scheme that deceived key staff through fraudulent emails, documents, and phone calls. The city is withholding the employees’ identities for safety reasons. The mayor said his administration will be working alongside the FBI and Secret Service to recover the funds and hold the perpetrators accountable.

Additional details are scheduled to be presented during tomorrow’s City Council session.