UPDATE:
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Veronica Mathis is now in custody after being indicted today. Courtney Scott remains at large with an arrest warrant out for her following her indictment.
ORIGINAL:
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – A grand jury has indicted former Mayor Sharon Weston Broome’s Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Courtney Scott and businesswoman Veronica Mathis on corruption charges stemming from an alleged kickback scheme involving city-parish contracts, according to an indictment filed by the Louisiana Attorney General’s office Wednesday.
A grand jury has indicted the former Assistant Chief Administrative Officer of Mayor Sharon Weston Broome and a businesswoman on corruption charges.
Scott faces charges of malfeasance in office, felony theft, conspiracy to commit theft, public bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to money laundering, money laundering, public contract fraud, and prohibited splitting of profits, fees, or commissions.
Mathis is charged with all counts except malfeasance in office.
Prosecutors and investigators allege Scott used her position to secure contracts for Mathis’ company, Build Brand Design, or BBD, in exchange for kickbacks.
The scheme involved the Mayor’s Safe Hopeful Healthy Initiative and spanned from February 2021 to February 2024. The WAFB I-TEAM has been reviewing documents for several months regarding that same program.
Bank records show BBD received $738,894 in contracts tied to the initiative, while Scott received $193,937 in kickbacks, the WAFB I-TEAM learned.
WAFB learned Scott allegedly split the profits with other unnamed individuals.
Investigators say they discovered that BBD had a financial relationship with the Bryan Group, a company Scott controlled. Prosecutors allege Scott used her influence as a public official and conspired with Mathis and others to secure the contracts.
Louisiana law prohibits public employees from using their position to secure expenditures of public funds or from entering into contractual agreements with entities that have financial relationships with their agencies.
Scott completed mandatory ethics training but is accused of taking steps to conceal her involvement in the scheme. During an interview with the FBI, the agency said Scott acknowledged that city rules prohibited her from receiving public funds administered through the city.
Mathis has denied giving bribes to Scott, however, prosecutors and investigators claim they have documentation that contradicts that.
Arrest warrants were issued for both women following their indictments. No further details were immediately available. Both Scott and Mathis are expected to appear in court at a date to be determined.
The Attorney General issued the following statement following the indictments.
“This is a serious matter involving a significant amount of money and the public’s trust. Our investigation is ongoing,” said Attorney General Liz Murrill
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