The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS), Office of Inspector General, Division of Investigation, announced a Kemper County resident has entered into a plea agreement following an MDHS investigation into welfare fraud.
Michelle Clay of Kemper County entered a plea agreement with the District Attorney in Kemper County Circuit Court on March 4, 2026, related to fraudulent receipt of public assistance benefits. The investigation determined that Clay improperly received $30,864.00 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by failing to accurately report her household composition and household income.
Clay was sentenced to fifteen years of probation and ordered to pay fines, fees, restitution, and investigative costs totaling $32,301.00.
“This is a great example of collaboration between our investigations team, MDHS county offices, District Attorneys, and local law enforcement,” said Sandra Griffith, MDHS Inspector General.
The investigation was conducted by Agent-in-Charge Kevin Baysinger with the MDHS Office of Inspector General’s Division of Investigation. Established in 2018, the Division is responsible for detecting, preventing, and deterring fraud, waste, and abuse and has recovered millions in SNAP overpayments since its inception.
“This investigation and plea agreement demonstrate, once again, the controls we have put in place to identify, investigate, and eliminate fraud in our programs; plainly, those controls are working,” said MDHS Executive Director Robert G. “Bob” Anderson.
Suspected fraud can be reported to MDHS at any time by submitting the Fraud Tip Form online at http://www.mdhs.ms.gov/report-fraud/, calling the Fraud Tip Line at 1‑800‑299‑6905, or emailing fraud@mdhs.ms.gov.