Editing Warren County, Virginia (section)

=== 2019 Warren County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Jennifer McDonald Scandal ===

In 2017, questions were raised about the validity of an alleged $40 million economic development deal that had been brought to the community by Curt Tran, the owner of a company called IT Federal, over the redevelopment of the Avtex Superfund site.<ref name="roanoke.com">Casey, Dan. [https://www.roanoke.com/news/casey-scandals-rock-northern-shenandoah-valley-town/article_fd9aaacb-a221-5909-a6c3-0ef3d03b0076.html "CASEY: Scandals rock northern Shenandoah Valley town"], ''[[The Roanoke Times]]'', Virginia, April 27, 2019.</ref>

In 2018, [[Warren County Economic Development Authority]] executive director Jennifer McDonald was charged with filing false police reports about an alleged rock-throwing incident that she claimed had occurred at her home.<ref>Gully, Josh. [https://www.nvdaily.com/news/front-royal/eda-director-charged-with-filing-false-police-report/article_15f15e69-5787-5b2e-86c9-8570df6355dc.html"EDA Director Charged With Filing False Police Reports"]</ref>

In 2019, McDonald and other parties were embroiled in a massive financial scandal that some observers have characterized as the largest embezzlement scheme in the history of the state of Virginia.<ref name= IndictmentStory>{{cite news |last=McCaslin |first=John |date=September 24, 2019 |title=Warren County's top officials indicted in Front Royal embezzlement scam |url=https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/warren-county-s-top-officials-indicted-in-front-royal-embezzlement/article_bbbaa17c-df28-11e9-bf04-e78ba7699e79.html |work=The Rappahannock News |location=online |access-date=September 26, 2019 }}</ref> The fraud scheme, which involved the alleged embezzlement of $21 million in county funds through fictitious development schemes and insider deals, was uncovered by the [[Virginia State Police]] Bureau of Criminal Investigation's Culpeper field office.

The Virginia State Police launched a probe into the business practices of McDonald in conjunction with the [[Front Royal, Virginia|Front Royal Police Department]] and the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]].<ref name= IndictmentStory/>

Sheriff McEathron, who had been indicted after it was revealed he was McDonald's business partner, committed suicide.<ref>Bria Llyod. [https://www.localdvm.com/news/virginia/former-warren-county-sheriff-daniel-mceathron-found-dead/ "], ''[[Local DVM]]'', May 28, 2019.</ref>

Jennifer McDonald was charged with 32 felony counts for her role in the scheme.<ref>Gully, Josh. [https://www.nvdaily.com/nvdaily/mcdonald-charged-on-four-additional-felonies/article_e2a3aee2-b835-514f-89b9-ada3c2548f06.html"], ''[[Northern Virginia Daily]]'', Virginia, October 28, 2019.</ref> 14 current and former municipal officials were indicted and faced criminal charges, including the entire Warren County board of supervisors as well as the former Warren [[County Attorney]] and the head of the Warren County schools division.<ref name="IndictmentStory" /><ref name="WaPoExpose">{{cite news |last=Olivo |first=Antonio |date=September 24, 2019 |title=Millions of dollars are missing. The sheriff is dead. A small Virginia town wants answers.
 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-news/millions-of-dollars-are-missing-the-sheriff-is-dead-a-small-virginia-town-wants-answers/2019/09/24/1a0be2fe-c061-11e9-b873-63ace636af08_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |location=Internet |access-date=September 26, 2019 }}</ref>
These charges were later dropped as the judge ruled there was no basis for the allegations.<ref>Carey, Julie.[https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/charges-dropped-against-14-warren-county-leaders/2049641/]''[[NBC4 Washington]]'', Virginia, October 28, 2019.</ref>