For years as sheriff, Denny Payman had received warnings that he was running the finances of Jackson County Sheriff's Department. The way he was doing it amounted to mismanagement. These were generally soft, like, hey, be careful about this kind of warnings as opposed to threats. The audit of the department, dated December 17, 2012, conducted by county treasurer Beth Salley and signed by Judge William O. Smith, concluded that Payman was not keeping appropriate receipts. He was not tracking expenses correctly, and he had, quote, exceeded his salary limits, according to the county's approved budget. Doing what? They found that he was running a deficit in his department of over $112,000. Annually? Well, yeah, in that year. And that the fiscal court had already loaned his department $277,000 to pay salaries, which he had not reimbursed.

An audit by the Missouri State Auditor found after the school had been notified by their sponsor, the University of Central Missouri, that they were intending to allow their sponsorship to lapse, that $117,980 in school funds was unaccounted for. Even under subpoena, the school's business manager could not find receipts to justify the claim purchases.