DA Secures Order for Trustee “Ghost Employee”” Delbert Morgan to Pay Knox County $196,816.08 by October 1st”
District Attorney Charme Allen announced today that Delbert E. Morgan, convicted as a””ghost employee”” in the office of former Knox County Trustee Mike Lowe, has been ordered to pay restitution of $196,816.08 to Knox County before October 1st of this year. Based on the proof presented in the case by the District Attorney’s White Collar Crime Unit, Judge Steve Sword found this was the amount stolen from Knox County as a result of the fraudulent scheme carried out by Morgan and then Trustee Mike Lowe.
To collect that restitution for Knox County, the DA’s White Collar Crime Unit had previously filed a motion for a hearing before Judge Sword to determine how and when the restitution would be paid by Morgan. The hearing had been set for July 7. However, Morgan acceded to the District Attorney’s position that the restitution would be paid in full by the October 1st date. Judge Sword signed and entered that order today.
The District Attorney’s White Collar Crime Unit has also filed a motion for a hearing before Judge Sword to determine how and when Mike Lowe will pay the restitution of $200,000 Lowe has been ordered to pay. Under Tennessee law, the court sets the means and timing of restitution. As part of his guilty plea, Lowe has already agreed to the full amount of restitution. The hearing to determine how Lowe’s restitution will be paid is set for July 8.
District Attorney Allen said,””It is my policy to seek that restitution for crimes against any victim be paid as quickly as possible. We will not leave it to the whim of persons convicted of a crime as to when and in what amounts payments will be made.””
If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.