Greene County SO Faces $5 Million Bill After State Audit Reveals Issues

Greene County is one of the poorest counties east of the Mississippi River and the outcome of an audit done by the State of Alabama may well make it poorer.

The audit released today reveals that the Greene County Sheriff's Office owes the state almost $5 million as a result of what the audit terms "inadequate documentation."

The audit found that Sheriff Jonathan Benison's office did not have adequate supporting documentation for over $3.1 million in payments from the "Bingo Fund" to employees beyond their regular salaries.

An additional $2.1 million in payments to vendors—including consultants, attorneys, hotels, restaurants, gas stations, merchants, individuals and auto repair shops—also lacked proper paperwork.

Auditors identified several bookkeeping issues, including a failure to make timely bank deposits and a lack of records for pistol permit fees (by state law, permit fees are no longer required for persons 18 or older. However, a person can choose to purchase a permit voluntarily for reasons including the ability to carry in other states.)

Get our free mobile app

Financial difficulties are a long-time problem with the Greene County government. The county struggles with underfunded services like EMS, a variety of financial mismanagement issues, and a general lack of federal and state funding in rural healthcare, affecting its credit rating and ability to access resources. 

The sheriff's office is not the only county organization that has encountered poor audits by the state in recent years. A 2024 audit found that the county commission failed to produce financial statements for two years, didn't accurately reconcile bank accounts, and had poor record-keeping for items such as beer tax and open bidding processes. Additionally, it did not maintain all documentation for bid and public works projects. 

Greene is an impoverished county that is experiencing population loss, a declining job market, and has faced economic decline due to its dependency on gaming revenues that the state has repeatedly challenged.

Findings of the audit are being turned over to the 17th Judicial Circuit District Attorney Rachel England and Attorney General Steve Marshall’s offices for collection.