A former Mississippi Lottery Corporation official has pleaded guilty to embezzlement.
Hope Bishop, who previously served as the corporation’s vice president of human resources, was arrested last November for stealing more than $187,000 in unauthorized raises during her time at the lottery.
Lottery staff discovered Bishop’s embezzlement and reported it to State Auditor Shad White’s office when they were improving operations. Bishop had no access to the gaming side of lottery operations, so her actions did not affect the integrity of lottery games, per a release.
“I’m thankful for the efforts of the investigators, prosecutors, and the lottery corporation for the joint work required to bring this case to a close,” White said.
Bishop was sentenced to 20 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections with 15 years suspended and five years house arrest followed by five years of supervised probation. Fines, fees, and investigative costs were also ordered.
An insurance policy covered Bishop’s employment at the lottery corporation. The corporation has since put into place additional controls to prevent embezzlement in the future following Bishop’s arrest.
