Operation Mississippi Hustle was a federal investigation initiated in 2014 by the United States Attorney and prosecuted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. It examined the relationship between officials of the Mississippi Department of Corrections and various for-profit prison contractors and subcontractors, who have provided services to the five private prisons in the state. One, Walnut Grove, closed in September 2016 but has since reopened.[1]
The FBI revealed a long history of corruption and bribery beginning as early as 1997. The investigation resulted in indictments against Chris Epps, long-serving Commissioner of the Department of Corrections on November 6, 2014. Epps resigned from his state office and as president of the American Correctional Association (ACA) the day prior to his indictment. He had received bribes and kickbacks worth at least $1.47 million, based on contracts worth $868 million with private prison operators and related service providers.
By October 2018, sixteen other officials, consultants, contractors, and businessmen, including two former state legislators were indicted, with more expected. Eleven pleaded guilty, one committed suicide, and the identity of another had not yet been made public. The ex-mayor of Walnut Grove, Mississippi, William Grady Sims, finished his sentence. Six other defendants were convicted and are in federal custody. Four Louisiana defendants awaited trial.
Jim Hood, the Mississippi Attorney General, announced in February 2017 that he was filing civil suits against 15 prison contractors and several individuals for damages and punitive damages related to the corruption cases. He said that "state law requires that they must also forfeit and return the entire amount of the contracts paid by the state."[2]
Hood was invoked but never defined (see the help page).