Sheriff paid $1.35M in bonus scheme
SHALIMAR (AP) – An audit shows a Florida Panhandle sheriff paid out $1.35 million in performance bonuses to employees in an alleged kickback scheme.
Gov. Charlie Crist suspended Okaloosa County Sheriff Charlie Morris after investigators charged him in the scheme.
The audit was released Monday. Investigators say Morris kept $88,500 of the bonus cash. Office Manager Teresa Adams, arrested with Morris, collected $108,000. In all, 14 employees collected tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses between 2003 and February.