State auditors in Tennessee uncovered nearly seven years of malfeasance within the tiny town of Mason, where the former mayor vacationed in Liberia on the taxpayers’ dime.

The mayor and two town employees allegedly committed massive fraud and gipped taxpayers out of nearly $130,000.

This is according to a new audit that Comptroller Jason Mumpower recently published. Mason is 45 miles northeast of Memphis. The town has a population of only 1,361 people.

“The former mayor misappropriated at least $8,774.43 from the town for her personal gain. This includes improper reimbursements and expenses related to various trips, meals, and other personal expenses,” according to the audit.

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“For example, in January 2018 she traveled to Monrovia, Liberia on a 10-day trip; the town paid for her airfare, hotel stay, visa and passport applications, and immunizations. A former town employee stated the trip was a personal vacation. The former mayor lost her re-election campaign in November 2018.”

Mumpower’s audit does not identify the mayor, but a 2016 state audit of Mason identifies Gwendolyn Kilpatrick as that town’s mayor at the time. Liberia is a country in West Africa founded by free people of color from the United States.

Former town finance officer Reva Marshall, meanwhile, received at least $80,421.89 in improper wages, benefits, and reimbursements. Auditors said Marshall submitted timesheets reflecting approximately 2,908 hours of actual time worked. She, however, received compensation for 7,000 hours of work. Marshall approved her own timesheets and processed payroll for all town employees until she left her job last July.

Additionally, human resources manager Michele Scott improperly received $40,622.68 in wages and benefits from the town. Scott’s timesheets showed she worked approximately 5,392 hours, but she received compensation for 7,920 hours.

Marshall and Scott both worked full-time for the Memphis-Shelby County School System (MSCSS) while they worked for the town of Mason.

“Investigators determined both women double dipped by receiving compensation from both MSCSS and the Town of Mason for the same hours of work. Marshall claimed to be working for both entities simultaneously for approximately 812 hours resulting in $22,642.14 in improper wages and benefits from MSCSS,” the audit said.

“Scott claimed to work for both entities simultaneously for 264 hours resulting in $10,242.36 in improper wages and benefits from MSCSS.”

Auditors have questioned an additional $11,818.67 of questionable credit card transactions and reimbursements facilitated by the former mayor, and another $45,691.81 of questionable and unsupported credit cards transactions and reimbursements by town employees.

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Last month a Tipton County Grand Jury indicted Reva Marshall on one count of theft over $10,000, one count of theft under $1,000, and one count of official misconduct. Michele Scott was indicted on one count of theft over $10,000, one count of theft over $2,500, and one count of official misconduct.

The Shelby County Grand Jury also handed down indictments against both women. Reva Marshall has been indicted on one count of theft over $10,000, and one count of official misconduct. Michele Scott was indicted on one count of theft over $10,000, and one count of official misconduct.

The audit said nothing further about the former mayor.