A civil lawsuit filed by Laurens County alleges that cyber-thieves - John Doe and Jane Doe - stole $1,558,288.09 in local taxpayer money by submitted false invoices, which the County paid, from the company that is and has been renovating the Historic Courthouse in downtown Laurens for the past several months.
"On or about December 15, 2025, the cyber criminals began contacting the County, by email, impersonating County's contractor, Mashburn Construction Company, Inc. (hereinafter "the Contractor"). The cyber criminals, purporting to be the Contractor, provided County with fraudulent electronic fund tranfers ("EFT") instructions directing funds be sent from County's bank accounts to an account held at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. identified as Account #7560962206 (hereinafter the "Target Account"), A copy of the fraudulent EFT instructions is attached hereto as "Exhibit A."
The County heard an explanation of this matter Monday night in closed session, under an executive session "specific purpose" listing of: "Investigative proceedings regarding allegations of criminal misconduct by an unknown third-party targeting County employees."
The Council, also in closed session, discussed this matter: "Discussion of employment, appointment, and/or compensation of a Finance Director."
At the end of the closed session, Council directed its attorney to report back when investigative proceedings are completed.
In filing a lawsuit against unknown persons, the County alleges these causes of action: Unjust Enrichment, Expedited Accounting, and Injunctive Relief.
The Injunctive Relief would include freezing all funds in the Target Account until these funds are returned to the County.
Filed March 5, the litigation is filed on the County's behalf by Smith Robinson Holler DuBose and Morgan, LLC, of Camden.
Two banks were targeted for alleged improper electronic funds transfers, according to the lawsuit. The County "effectuated four (4) EFTs" to pay what it thought was Mashburn Construction, according to the lawsuit. These were:
Dec. 29, 2025, $122,278.78 from bank account at United Community Bank
Jan. 12, 2026, $14,647.00 from bank account at United Community Bank
Jan. 13, 2026 $611,585.82 from bank account at US Bank; and
Jan. 13, 2026, $809,776.51 from bank account at US Bank.
The lawsuit says, "Using trickery and deception, the perpetrators gained access to County's funds and, without the knowledge or consent of County, misappropriated a total of $1,558,288.09. Plaintiff is in need of expedited discovery and emergency relief in order to trace the flow of funds and recover the stolen proceeds."
The email requesing the payments was from a domain that the fraudsters created to be "almost identical" to Mashburn's domain, the lawsuit alleges.
"County subsequently discovered that it had been defrauded and that unknown perpetrators had received the EFTs from County's bank accounts. Upon discovering this fraud, County took immediate action to recall the transfers, notified the authorities, and now brings this action in order to mitigate the damages," the lawsuit says.
The ACH/Wire Instructions submitted as Exhibit A shows the receiving bank as Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 101 Berkeley Square Ln., Goose Creek (with a routing number) and the beneficiary name as Mashburn Construction Company, Inc., 1820 Sumter Street, PO Box 2466, Columbia (with a "beneficiary's account number").
The lawsuit was "ELECTRONICALLY FILED - 2026 Mar 05 11:41 AM - LAURENS - COMMON PLEAS - CASE#2026CP3000210".
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Council met for about 37 minutes in the closed session, before emerging to pass a motion authorizing the county administrator to move ahead with hiring a county finance director, based on Administrator Jerre Threatt’s recommendation.
Pertaining to the investigative proceeding, council adopted Chairman Jeff Carroll’s motion that authorizes County Attorney Wes Meetze to communicate and coordinate with law enforcement, and to engage insurance carriers so that the county can seek recovery and to approve settlements; also, Meetze is to report to council when the investigative procedure concludes.
Carroll said it is the policy of council not to comment on on-going criminal investigations, but he emphasized that this was criminal activity done to the county, not wrongdoing by the county or by any county employee.
Carroll and Council Member Arthur Lee Philson Jr. had a difficult time getting on the same page at this meeting. It started when Philson wanted to ask Threatt about current county vacancies, and Carroll said to Philson “he has given his report.” Philson said he would save his questions for Council Comments time.
Several times during the evening, in support of Philson, Rev. David Kennedy, a Clinton pastor and president of the Laurens County Branch of the NAACP, said, “He is not your n****r,” being critical of Carroll.
“I’ve got this, sir,” Philson said to Kennedy.
Philson told Carroll at one point that the chairman may not like him but “You got to deal with me” and if he tried “to shut me up again” Carroll would get some Kool-aid. Carroll said, “Awesome.”
Earlier in the meeting, during special recognitions time, Philson was allowed to present some special community awards, a continuation of something he did last month for Black History Month.
Philson’s later comments were directed toward honoring the late civil rights leader, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, and questioning how county jobs - especially department head positions - are filled.
Also, when council was passing the FY26-27 General Fund Budget and the Fire Budget, first reading by title only, Philson said he would not vote for the Fire Budget unless and until it includes money for fire hydrants on Apple Orchard Road, outside of Clinton.
In other business, Council adopted proclamations for Coroners and Medicolegal Death Investigators Professionals Week, Disabilities Awareness Month, and Severe Weather and Flood Safety Week. Council agreed to appointment of Holly Cody to the Assessment Appeals Board, which will become an important body as Laurens County proceeds with property values’ re-assessment this year.
A Road Closure amendment was moved ahead on the 2nd of 3 required readings. It makes it easier to close a county road in the event all residents of the road agree to the closing, instead of these closures always having to go through Circuit Court.
Council delayed final reading of Project Diamond in Clinton and the creation of a new County Multi-county Industrial Park because of language changes requested by partner-county Spartanburg. Project Diamond is Coastal Precast Systems, LLC, a Virginia-based company that is going to invest $9 Million in a location between Hwy 56 and Hwy 72 east of Clinton.
Council gave final reading to Project Palmetto - Shamrock Technology, a $19.2 Million investment creating 57 jobs in The Connexial Center, off I-385 (address 101 Connexial Blvd., Gray Court).
Council gave final reading to Project Basel - another expansion of the long-standing FiberTex industry ($17.6 Million to create 38 jobs at 100 ISO Parkway, Gray Court).
Council moved along Project Oracle on 2nd reading; it’s an auto supplier that will be a neighbor of Shamrock in Connexial and is expected to employ 277 people with an investment of $120.8 Million, according to its documents. The Connexial multi-county industrial park (an agreement with Greenville County) was amended to include Project Oracle, also 2nd reading.
Council took 1st reading action on Project Sunshine, which will be the 3rd largest economic development project in Laurens County history. It is a proposed $350 Million investment to employ 564 people in a warehouse facility in the Hunter Industrial Park, Laurens.
In projects like this, the name of the company making the investment generally is not revealed, for competitive reasons, until 3rd and final reading and comments from the public, pro or con, are solicited during a legally-required Public Hearing.
Closing out the comments, prior to the closed session, Chairman Carroll said, "There is a lot of excitement in the things going on in Laurens County, moving and growing. People have opinions."
The next County Council meeting will be a listening session on March 23.
