ATLANTA — A former city of Atlanta chief financial officer (CFO) has pleaded guilty to federal program theft and obstructing an IRS audit.
Jim Beard, 60, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., oversaw the city’s Department of Finance from 2011 until 2018. At least as early as 2015, he devised and executed a scheme to use his authority as CFO to obtain money and property from the city for his own use, including to pay for thousands of dollars in personal travel expenses for himself, his family, and his travel companions, and to buy and possess restricted machine guns.
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