By Palmetto State Auditor Staff
WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY, S.C. — Late in 2025, a major public corruption case hit Williamsburg County like a thunderclap. The message for voters across South Carolina couldn’t be clearer: you can’t afford to tune out when it comes to the people handling your public money.
The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office rolled out indictments against several top county officials, all tied to a State Grand Jury investigation into shady dealings from 2020 to 2022. Prosecutors say nearly $400,000 in unauthorized payments landed in the pockets of senior officials, right when other county employees were getting furloughed.
The list of those indicted reads like a who’s who of county leadership:
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- Tiffany Cooks, former County Supervisor
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- Stephen Gardner, suspended Sheriff
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- Sharon Staggers, former Clerk of Court
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- Keonta Moore, former Chief of Administration
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- Margaret Kimber W. Cooper, former County Treasurer
After the indictment, Governor Henry McMaster stepped in and suspended Treasurer Cooper, putting Pearl R. Brown in her place for now.
A Pattern of Abusing Power
State prosecutors paint a picture of these officials working together to funnel about $398,000 in illegal payments to themselves, while regular workers faced pay cuts and furloughs.
The charges run the gamut: conspiracy, misconduct in office, abusing public office for personal profit, embezzlement, and money laundering, depending on who you’re talking about. The State Grand Jury, SLED, and the Attorney General’s team teamed up on the investigation, and now they’re taking the case to court.
Sure, everyone’s innocent until proven guilty. But when you see this level of alleged misconduct, crossing so many departments and involving top officials, it’s hard not to wonder: where were the checks and balances? Who was watching the store?
Why Voters Should Care
This isn’t just a Williamsburg County story. It’s a wake-up call for every voter in South Carolina, because corruption doesn’t just appear out of thin air.
It takes hold when people get elected or appointed without anyone really digging into their background, and then nobody keeps an eye on them.
Too often, elections are about name recognition, party labels, and smooth-talking slogans. But real accountability means asking tougher questions:
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- How has this person handled public money before?
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- Who reviews their decisions?
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- What safeguards do they support?
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- Are there real background checks for people in appointed positions, like
- sheriffs or treasurers?
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- When there’s a crisis, like furloughs, who’s still cashing checks, and why?
Following the Money, And Getting It Back
There’s still a big question hanging over the whole mess: where did the money go, and how are taxpayers supposed to get it back?
People deserve answers:
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- Will there be restitution if anyone gets convicted?
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- Can insurance or bonding cover any of the losses?
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- What internal controls broke down, and who signed off on all those payments?
Getting the stolen money back is just as important as punishing the wrongdoing. If that doesn’t happen, corruption just becomes another line item that taxpayers end up footing the bill for.
Stay Watchful, Don’t Get Comfortable
The message from Williamsburg County is simple: transparency doesn’t just happen. You have to demand it, enforce it, and keep watching.
Don’t let elections become popularity contests. Public office is about trust. When leaders break that trust, the fallout spreads way beyond the courthouse.
So the real question now isn’t just how these cases wrap up in court, it’s whether South Carolina voters will push for real accountability before the next election comes around.
Palmetto State Auditor will keep tracking this story, covering everything from restitution to court updates to any policy changes that come out of this investigation.
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