Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard under fire after Lori Lightfoot reveals village's Amazon spend in single day

DOLTON, ILLINOIS: In a shocking revelation, the small Illinois village of Dolton, currently under the leadership of Mayor Tiffany Henyard, has been embroiled in a financial scandal that has left residents outraged and concerned about the future of their community.

Dubbed the “Dolton Dictator” by her critics, Henyard’s administration is now under intense scrutiny following a report that uncovered an alarming $43,000 spent on Amazon purchases in a single day, among other financial irregularities.

Unveiling the financial mismanagement and extravagant spending

The report, presented by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, brought to light the extensive spending by the village on various items and services, despite the municipality's deteriorating financial health.

Lightfoot, who was hired by village trustees at a rate of $400 per hour to investigate the financial dealings of the village, revealed the startling expenditures during a meeting held on Thursday night, August 8.

Among the most shocking revelations were the Amazon purchases, which included sums of $33,005, $4,715, and $5,609, all made on January 5, 2023. In addition to this, the report uncovered that over $12,000 had been spent at retail stores such as Best Buy, Target, Walgreens, Wayfair, and Giftly.com between May and December 2023.

These expenditures raised eyebrows, especially considering Dolton’s precarious financial situation.

“$40,000 at Amazon,” Dolton Trustee Kiana Belcher remarked following the presentation. “What a slap in the face to everybody that resides in 60419 zip code.” She went further to say that village taxpayers had been “financially raped.” “And when people rape people, they get anything they deserve,” Belcher stated, adding it’s “sickening.”

The village has been using at least six credit cards, four of which are held by the police department, while the others are managed by the village administrator and the village itself. The lack of transparency in how these funds were used has further fueled the controversy, as receipts for these purchases were rarely provided or approved by the village board.

The spending spree extended beyond online purchases. The report revealed that village funds were used to finance out-of-state trips for multiple individuals to locations such as Washington, DC, Austin, Texas, New York City, Atlanta, and Las Vegas.

These trips, often justified as necessary for “economic development,” have been scrutinized for their necessity and the lack of accountability regarding the expenses incurred.

Moreover, police overtime costs have skyrocketed by nearly $880,000, contributing to a 21% increase in overall police expenditures compared to two years ago. These figures have exacerbated concerns about the village’s financial stability, particularly as average monthly expenses have surged by almost 30% since the 2022 fiscal year.

Lightfoot also highlighted the alarming decline in the village’s general fund, which is used to cover most of Dolton’s expenses. As of May 31, the fund had a negative balance of $3.65 million, a stark contrast to the $5.61 million surplus recorded in April 2022.

The situation has become so dire that, since March 2023, the village has struggled to pay its monthly bills, relying on whatever cash it can muster.

Mayor Henyard, who assumed office in 2021, has been at the center of numerous allegations, including the misuse of village funds and corruption. One of the most concerning accusations is her alleged use of the local police as personal bodyguards, further blurring the lines between her official duties and personal interests.

Henyard's administration has also been accused of retaliating against employees who speak out against her. The report mentions the firing of an employee who claimed she was sexually assaulted by one of the mayor’s supporters during a taxpayer-funded trip to Las Vegas.

This allegation, combined with the financial mismanagement, has sparked outrage among Dolton residents. “I am just so disgusted with what’s going on in this village,” one local woman fumed during the meeting.

Despite the gravity of these accusations, the preliminary report presented by Lightfoot has not yet directly linked the spending to Henyard. However, the lack of cooperation from the mayor’s office during the investigation has raised suspicions, prompting calls for further inquiry.

Meanwhile, in response to the scandal, village trustees recently voted to cut off access to village credit cards for Henyard and other officials in an attempt to curb further financial malpractice, the New York Post reported.

Backlash against Mayor Tiffany Henyard

Tiffany Henyard and her administration were heavily criticized on social media.

"It is terrible what she and her cabinet have done to Dolton. They’ve bankrupted the town, wasted taxpayer money on bullshit. She entered office with a budget surplus and now they’re negative $5 million," one posted on X.

"Prison is calling," another wrote.

"She’s going to prison for fraud. She stole millions of dollars by violating all the legal policies in place to prevent this type of corruption. Technically, she shouldn’t even be in office right now. They have more than enough evidence to charge her. What are they waiting for?" a third user asked.

"Why do they allow her [to] stay?" read a comment.

"Will Tiffany have to pay back the money she robbed from the people she represented? Or will criminal charges be filed?" someone else wondered. 

"It’s all so [incredibly] tiresome," another lamented.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.