GBI, Attorney General investigating former Board of Regents member
Clarence Dean Alford
ATLANTA - A member of the Board of Regents representing Georgia's 4th Congressional District has resigned after an investigation involving the Georgia Attorney General and Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and the GBI said Thursday that Clarence Dean Alford is accused of racketeering and criminal attempt to commit theft. Alford resigned from the Board of Regents immediately, according to a new release from the Carr’s office.
"Acts of fraud and corruption have no place in Georgia’s state government,” said Attorney General Chris Carr. “Those who are trusted to be public servants must discharge their duties ethically and honestly, and when they do not, this office and our law enforcement partners will hold them accountable.”
Arrest warrants for Alford were issued on Thursday. According to Carr, Alford is accused of exploiting a common industry practice referred to in the financial services sector as “factoring,” which is when a business may sell its accounts receivable to a third party at a discount.
“This illustrates that fraud and corruption at any level will not be tolerated in Georgia,” said Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Vic Reynolds. “GBI’s partnership with prosecutors and other law enforcement agencies is essential to continued public trust. Our agency is committed to holding violators accountable.”
Governor Brian Kemp’s office released the following statement, ““Every state official must follow the highest ethical standards in all aspects of their conduct. That is why I demanded, and received, Dean Alford’s resignation from the Board of Regents, effective immediately. The Attorney General and Georgia Bureau of Investigation will conduct a complete and thorough investigation.”
The University System of Georgia and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, led by Commissioner Rick Swearingen, assisted in this joint investigation.