Despite having a net worth in the millions, the former Mississippi correction commissioner Chris Epps is behind bars for taking $1.4 million in bribes while in service in 2015.
Chris Epps, aka Christopher B. Epps, was born on January 25, 1961, in Tchula, Mississippi, one of the poorest villages in Mississippi. Growing up, Epps stayed with his grandparents and worked in his grandparent’s farmhouse to survive until he got his job as a security guard in the state prison.
Epps also worked as a teacher. He soon assumed the responsibilities of a corporate setting and started working as a director of security and, finally, as Mississippi Correction Commissioner in 2002. He served as a commissioner under three governors and was the longest-serving commissioner.
However, after spending a long time in prison as director of security and Correction Commissioner, Epps knew the ins and outs of the prison, which led to the biggest criminal conspiracy in Mississipi. Eventually, it would see himself on a road to jail.
Key Takeaways:
- Chris Epps started as a security guard and made millions in a short period through bribery.
- As a Correction Commissioner, Chris Epps took a bribe of $1.47 million to steer contracts worth $800 million.
- Chris Epps’s wife, Catherlean Sanders, was allowed to keep forfeited $200,000 to care for her two sons.
- Chris Epps and several companies repaid to the state for their wrongdoing.
Chris Epps’ Net Worth Was In Millions: How Rich Is He Now?
Chris Epps’s salary in 2014 was $132,700 per annum, but his net worth suggested otherwise. At the time of his indictment for bribery charges, Epps’s net worth was allegedly $1 million. All in all, most of his net worth was accumulated from bribes and wrongdoing.
After police arrested Epps, he had $310,000 in investment and bank account savings. Furthermore, his Flowood residence and a Gulf Coast condo totaled $237,601.
Epps owned two Mercedes-Benz cars worth $753,000, as well as a residence and condo. He obtained all of these by dealing with for-profit organizations.
Epps also owned a private residence in Jackson, Mississippi, worth between $4,100,000 and $6,000,000. In 2014, it was found that a businessman, Cecil McCrory, paid off the mortgage of Epp’s private residence and bought an expensive condo on Gulf Cost, which amounted to $1 million.
Along with large bribes, Epps received a cut from a fixed monthly payment of $12,000. Epps said, “I got us $12,000 per month,” an indictment recounted a conversation between McCrory and Epps. Furthermore, in 2006, Chris Epps received $1.47 million in bribes to steer a $800 million contract.
It was not until 2011 that the State auditor’s office started investigating after complaints about Epps that brought his downfall. In 2014, he faced a 49-count indictment, to which he pled guilty to a bribery count and a tax count.
Then, on November 4, 2016, he was incarcerated, revoking his bail until the sentencing hearing. On May 24, 2017, Chris received a nearly 20-year sentence.
Read More: With an Average $1.5 to $2 Million Salary, Trey Yingst’s Net Worth is Around $5 Million
What Did Chris Epps Do? Biggest Criminal Conspiracy In The History Of Mississippi
Though Epps earned the position of Correction Commissioner in 2002, he started taking bribes from business personalities like Cecil McCrory in 1997.
As a correction commissioner, Epps handled the prison’s $350 million budget and contracts. The budget separated by the federal government for the improvement of prisons didn’t go to prisons.
An FBI Agent said, “The problem was with these kickbacks. The money wasn’t going back into the prison system, and so it’s all of society that suffered from that corruption.”
Since budgeted money for the prison was not invested back in prison, the facilities of inmates and the fundamental rights of the inmates were compromised.
The wife of one inmate explained the conditions inside the prison as “the worst of the worst that in the summer months, it could reach temperatures over 100 degrees inside the facility.”
Learn More: What Happened To Ed Henry And Karyn Turk? Sacked From Real America’s Voice Months After DUI Arrest
What Happened to Chris Epps And His Estate After His Prosecution?
On May 24, 2017, Epps received a 20-year sentence, to which he remorsed and asked for an apology. “I’m sorry for what I’ve done. I’ve repented before God. I apologize to my family and the state of Mississippi. It comes back to greed. I made some stupid mistakes I will regret for the rest of my life.”
Aside from Epps, his accomplice, Cecil McCrory, was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison.
As a result, Epps and numerous companies like GEO Group, Wexford Health Sources, C.N.W. Construction Company, Keefe Commissary Network, CGL Facility Management, and AdminPros LLC paid back to the state.
As reported, when Epps pled guilty to the bribery charges in 2015 and awaited his sentence, the government seized his assets, nearly worth $1 million. These included investment and bank accounts, a condo on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, his more than $300K worth of Flowood home, and two Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
So, Chris’ wife, Catherlean Sanders, hired an attorney to reclaim their Flowood residence in April 2015. Even though she didn’t get her hands on the property, the court ruled and allowed her to keep $200K of the investment money on March 2, 2016.
The former MDOC commissioner has two sons with his wife. However, further details about his family are not out.
Even after Chris was served a 20-year sentence, problems were not far from those of the Epps family. In May 2020, Epps and his wife, Catherlean, lost an appeal to non-payment of tax of $69,489- meaning his wife now has to pay individual income tax for the 2007-2014 tax years.
Also Read: Veteran Senior Intelligence Officer Morgan Ortagus’ Twin Sister, Megan, Runs A Non-Profit
Did you find this article helpful? Please let us know by commenting below or following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Connect with us on YouTube and watch the latest news related to celebrities and players.
