An incredibly complex divorce is underway in Kentucky. This divorce involves a former Sheriff, his wife, his children, and more than one alleged mistress. Virtually all of these individuals reportedly reaped the benefits of unrestricted access to taxpayer funds and a non-profit organization. As such, the divorce is tied up with allegations of fraud, conspiracy, adultery, and many other concerning factors. How is this divorce unfolding, and what can it teach us about the complexities of family law?
Sheriff’s Wife Files for Divorce Amidst Ongoing Criminal Investigations
In August 2024, it was reported that the wife of a now-infamous County Sheriff had filed for divorce. The pair had been married for 28 years, although they formally separated several months prior.
This divorce will undoubtedly shed further light on a host of criminal allegations faced by both spouses. The wife has already been charged with 10 felonies, and she is alleged to have spent more than $600,000 in taxpayer funds. She also reportedly failed to declare any of this cash as “income,” although she has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The real focus, however, is on her husband. The former Sheriff of Clark County also acted as the CEO of a non-profit ambulance provider. As a result of his ties with the government and the non-profit organization, he allegedly charged millions of dollars on his company credit card – a card linked directly with taxpayer funds, charitable donations, and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Commissary account.
To complicate matters even further, the Sheriff is alleged to have spent some of these funds on adulterous affairs with various women. After an investigation, the authorities determined that he had been unfaithful with at least two different women. He used the aforementioned credit card to fund three trips with one of these women, traveling to New York, New Orleans, and Tampa. His other mistress was a Deputy Clark County Auditor – a coworker with whom he communicated about his own investigation.
Adding another layer of complexity, the Sheriff fathered one child as a result of his adulterous affairs. He then used $100,000 from the non-profit credit card to pay for child support.
The wife has been forced to hand over several pieces of jewelry as a result of the divorce and criminal investigation. The implication is that much of this jewelry was purchased with taxpayer or non-profit funds. Of these items, one was worth $16,500, and there may be even more valuable items in the collection.
Even the daughters of this couple were allegedly involved in the criminal activity, and all three were named in a civil lawsuit. The Sheriff is alleged to have paid for one daughter’s college tuition with the stolen funds, and she seems to have direct access to the credit card funds. This daughter (the eldest) also faces tax-related charges for failing to declare income.
Both the Sheriff and his wife accumulated numerous assets over the course of their marriage. These include several houses and various classic cars. The divorce trial will be one of the most complex undertakings imaginable, and the court will need to sift through stolen items, adulterous spending, separate assets, gifts made with stolen funds, and much more.
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