SC Councilwoman Arrested For Using Gov’t Credit Card To Fund Lavish Lifestyle: “It’s not my fault, it’s your fault because y’all weren’t monitoring my card”
Richland County Council Vice Chairwoman Dalhi Myers was just indicted on 24 counts of public corruption for using a public credit card to pay for lavish personal expenses.
State Grand Jury Division Chief Attorney Creighton Waters said most of the charges against Myers were for “illicit use” of her county credit card. She gave a novel excuse when busted, blaming the county for not monitoring her card.
Myers refused to pay back the $27,000 saying “It’s not my fault; it’s your fault because y’all weren’t monitoring my card.”
“The county actually tried to run (the reimbursement check she gave them at first) twice, it bounced twice, it bounced as high as Super Ball could ever bounce and when you look at her financial records, there’s no $27,000 there,” Waters said.
Richland County Council Vice Chairwoman Dalhi Myers was indicted on public corruption charges that alleged she used her government credit card to cover personal trips to Greece, Detroit and Nashville, Tenn., and pay for chocolates, books and a cellphone.
The 24-count indictment, issued by the state grand jury late Thursday, also charged Myers with using campaign cash to pay an expense at her law firm.
When questioned about the county expenses, Myers, a Hopkins resident who was first elected in 2016, made up false explanations for why the card purchases were legitimate county expenses, the grand jury found.
The charges against Myers include misconduct in office, using her government position for personal gain, embezzlement, writing a fraudulent check and misusing her campaign money for personal expenses.
Myers was suspended from office by Gov. Henry McMaster on Friday.
The Lower Richland Democrat was already on her way out in two weeks. She lost in the Democratic primary for Council District 10 earlier this year, and her term ends Dec. 31.
Myers was released without bond after a short hearing Friday at the Richland County Courthouse. Judge DeAndrea Benjamin required her to return all county-owned equipment.