HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) – Former accountant Carl Nicholson has been found guilty on 11 felony counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States government, four counts of false statement on income tax return and six counts of willfully aiding/assisting in preparation of false tax returns.

After hearing four days of testimony, the jury returned the verdict Friday after deliberating behind closed doors for more than two hours.

Mississippi State Auditor Shad White issued this statement after Nicholson’s conviction:

I want to congratulate the team of law enforcement personnel–from the State Auditor’s office, to federal investigators, to the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office–who worked hard to bring Nicholson to justice. This type of collaboration makes it harder for corruption to persist in Mississippi, so I’m committed to working with our partners to hold fraudsters accountable.

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