Atlantas former finance chief pleads guilty in corruption scandal [Video]

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Former Atlanta chief financial officer Jim Beard pleaded guilty Monday to theft and obstruction, becoming the last of the defendants in a sprawling federal corruption case at city hall that made headlines starting in 2017.

Beard’s guilty plea allows him to avoid having to go to trial, which was scheduled to happen next month.

Beard’s original announcement, announced in 2020, originally included eight counts, including wire fraud, theft from the government, possession of machine guns, making a false statement, and obstructing federal tax laws.

“Jim Beard allegedly abused his position as one of the most powerful executives in the city of Atlanta to commit federal crimes for his own gain, including stealing tens of thousands of dollars of the public’s money, possessing machine guns that members of the public cannot have, and obstructing an IRS audit,” U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak said in …