SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) – The former president of the Sevier County Utility District has been indicted after he misappropriated more than $181,000 in funds from the district, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

SCUD serves more than 14,000 people. Friday, the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury said that Matthew Ballard had been indicted for his conduct. This, after an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

The office said Ballard had used a kickback scheme with an electrical company that put money into his and his father’s pockets. On top of that, the office also accused Ballard of making district employees work on his own property, handling personal projects.

That’s not where it stops, however. The comptroller’s office also said that Ballard had an employee make a fake invoice to cover up a gambling payment, deleted data off his computer, stalling the investigation and had a SCUD employee buy a leaf vacuum that was only used on Ballard’s property.

It’s not the first time the office has investigated SCUD. It happened in 2011 as well, and Ballard was president at the time.

Ballard hasn’t worked for SCUD since March 2023. Both he and his father were indicted on one count of criminal responsibility for conduct of another.

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