Whistleblowers critical in Columbus Finance Department investigation, arrests
Columbus’ director of finance and a former revenue manager have been arrested on charges stemming from an investigation into the city’s finance department, during which a whistleblower described a “hostile work environment,” according to investigation records provided to the Ledger-Enquirer.
Yvonne Ivey, the former revenue manager for the city, and Angelica Alexander, current director of finance, were arrested Thursday, Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman confirmed to the Ledger-Enquirer.
Ivey and Alexander were among several Columbus employees who were identified in an administrative report from the sheriff’s office as people who could face charges. But as of Thursday, charges had been pressed against only those two. Towaliga Judicial Circuit Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Wayne Jernigan, previously an assistant DA in the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit, is prosecuting the case after Chattahoochee District Attorney Don Kelly recused himself. Jernigan advised the sheriff he would support prosecution against Ivey and Alexander, according to the report.
Ivey was arrested on two counts of simple battery, according to the sheriff’s administrative report detailing the investigation, while Alexander faces a misdemeanor charge of obstructing a law enforcement officer.
A whistleblower, identified as WB002, informed investigators that they witnessed Ivey taking documents out of the office, including checks, according to the administrative report.
WB002 asked Ivey why she was taking a briefcase out of the office one day after the audit began, and was told it was so Ivey could work at home, according to the report. The whistleblower became suspicious because employees had been told they could not take work or laptops home as they contained customers’ personal protected information.
Another whistleblower, identified as WB001, told investigators they witnessed “bad and dishonest practices” within the finance department, including Ivey’s and Alexander’s work performance and management.
Some of those practices included destroying documents, shredding live and stale-dated checks, ignoring and lying to citizens regarding their business licenses, physically assaulting employees, and bullying employees, creating a “hostile work environment,” says the report.
Ivey and Alexander also ignored directives given to them by auditors, WB001 told investigators.
The city’s internal auditor, Donna McGinnis, told investigators that she felt employees in the Finance/Revenue Department were “threatened with being fired and physically assaulted as part of their daily operations and throughout the audit.”
Ivey allegedly physically assaulted one of her employees, according to the report, by grabbing and scratching him. This incident was witnessed by another coworker, the report says, and is the reason she has been charged with simple battery.
Alexander had been notified by whistleblowers and employees of unprofessional conduct in which employees were shredding checks, the report says. Even though she knew about the conduct, she “refused to act appropriately prior to audit findings,” the report says.
Records show Ivey is set to appear in court June 16. Information on Alexander’s first court appearance wasn’t immediately available.
Reporter Kelby Hutchison contributed to this story.
This story was originally published May 16, 2025 at 10:48 AM.
