Former county manager sentenced to 7 years in federal prison

ASHEVILLE—Former Buncombe County Manager Wanda Greene, three other former county employees and a contract were sentenced on Wednesday to federal prison for embezzlement schemes that defrauded the county hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

The former employees and contractor all received prison sentences by U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. in federal court in Asheville. 

Former county manager Wanda Skillington Greene, 68, of Arden, was sentenced to 84 months in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine. Greene pleaded guilty earlier this year to embezzling public funds and aiding and abetting such embezzlement; federal program fraud; making and subscribing a false federal tax return and receipt of bribes and kickbacks and aiding and abetting, according to United States Attorney Andrew Murray, with the Western District of North Carolina. 

Greene was also accused in being involved with a scheme with former Buncombe County Commissioner Ellen Madans Frost, who was charged earlier this year with conspiracy to commit federal program fraud, federal program fraud and mail fraud, according to federal indictments. 

Frost is accused of conspiring with Greene to defraud the county of more than $575,000 by misapplying funds allocated to the county’s economic development program. 

The indictment said that Frost is a horse owner and boards horses in Polk County. The indictment alleges that Frost had a personal interest in supporting equestrian venues including Tryon International Equestrian Center and the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, located in Wellington, Florida. 

Murray said the equestrian enterprises were unaware of the criminal nature of the scheme, including the lack of authorization for Frost and Greene to enter into these negotiations and agreements without the knowledge and approval of the board of commissioners, which is required by state law. 

Greene and Frost used county funds without the board of commissioners’ knowledge or approval for sponsorships and advertising for equestrian events and to promote the Asheville Regional Airport. 

Frost’ case has not yet been heard. 

Also sentenced on Wednesday was Amanda (Mandy) Louise Stone, 60, of Black Mountain. Stone served several roles with Buncombe County since the 1980s, including assistant director of the department of social services, then director, assistant county manager, then county manager following Greene’s retirement. Stone retired in June 2018. After pleading guilty earlier this year to conspiracy to commit federal program fraud through the receipt of bribes and kickbacks, Stone was sentenced to 33 months in prison, one year of supervised release and a $15,000 fine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

Jon Eugene Creighton, 68, of Asheville, former Buncombe County Department of Planning and Development Director, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program fraud through the receipt of bribes and kickbacks and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by one year under court supervision and a $25,000 fine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

Former Buncombe County Information Systems Security Officer Michael Gene Greene, who is Wanda Greene’s son was sentenced to six months in prison, one year of supervised release and a $5,000 fine. Michael Greene, 48, of Arden, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to embezzle county funds. 

Judge Conrad also sentenced Joseph F. Wiseman, Jr., 59, of Roswell, Georgia, to 37

months in prison and one year of supervised release and a $15,000 fine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

Wiseman, an engineer who contracted with Buncombe County pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge for his role in a bribery scheme involving Wanda Greene, Creighton and Stone.

All defendants were released on bond and ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prison upon designation of a federal facility. 

All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole. 

U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the FBI, IRS-CI and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation for their investigative work and said that the investigation into criminal activities within the Buncombe County government is ongoing. 

United States Attorney Richard Edwards with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is in charge of prosecuting the cases.