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Newly obtained documents confirm the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is criminally investigating former Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright over allegations that he used a taxpayer-funded credit card for personal purchases.
The official case status report, obtained by FITSNews, shows the agency opened Case No. 2024-03590 in September 2024 after they “received information” that Wright had used a county-issued credit card for personal expenses.
According to the document, the allegations stem from credit card statements dating from 2018 through 2024, which were previously reported by The Post and Courier.
The case report also notes that Wright contacted SLED directly in October 2024 to ask whether he was under investigation. It appears that around December, Captain Jeff Kindley assigned Special Agent Austin Mills to investigate the allegations.
The internal SLED file lists Wright as “Suspect #1” and identifies the alleged offense as misconduct in office — a misdemeanor under South Carolina law.
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While FITSNews first reported on the existence of a criminal investigation involving Wright back in February, it was a June 12, 2025, letter from S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson that offered the first official confirmation of the specific criminal allegations under review.
The letter confirmed that Wright is facing multiple potential charges, including misconduct in office, breach of trust with fraudulent intent, using his official position for financial gain, and obtaining controlled substances by fraud or deceit.
Issued by Wilson, the letter confirmed that SLED had submitted the case to Seventh Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnette for prosecution. Barnette, citing longstanding ties to Wright, recused himself — prompting Wilson to authorize the case’s transfer.
Within the same document, Wilson — who once highlighted Wright’s support during his 2018 re-election campaign for attorney general — reassigned the matter to newly elected, first-term Tenth Circuit Solicitor Micah Black.
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? SLED CASE REPORT LISTS CHUCK WRIGHT AS SUSPECT IN ALLEGED MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS
— Andrew Fancher (@RealAndyFancher) July 18, 2025
Newly obtained documents confirm the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (#SLED) is criminally investigating former Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright over allegations he used a… pic.twitter.com/g0LnUGNpFw
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The letter also referenced a second subject of inquiry within the same SLED case: Amos Durham, the former sheriff’s office chaplain who abruptly resigned from his post earlier this year.
FITSNews first reported on Durham’s departure in May, noting that agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had questioned multiple deputies about his role in the department — specifically his handling of a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) cash pool.
Referred to internally as the “Chaplain Benevolence Fund,” the account was intended to support deputies facing personal hardship. But according to multiple officers, even modest requests were denied because the fund was allegedly “empty.”
The attorney general’s letter confirms that, like Wright, Durham is under investigation for breach of trust with fraudulent intent.
Over one month later, no charges have been filed.
In a July 2, 2025, statement provided to FITSNews, a SLED spokesperson confirmed the investigation in Wright remains “active and ongoing,” and that the agency first opened the case “regarding allegations of misconduct.”
The aforementioned revelations come months after FITSNews began reporting on irregularities tied to Wright’s tenure — including early confirmation of a “multi-probe” criminal investigation and exclusive coverage of a federal grand jury that was quietly empaneled in April.
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RELATED | SHERIFF’S CHAPLAIN RESIGNS AS PROBE OF CHUCK WRIGHT ESCALATES
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That reporting has also spotlighted former sheriff’s office employee L.B. Watson — one of Wright’s relatives who remained on the sheriff’s office payroll for years despite little documented work — along with allegations linking the former sheriff to a network of illegal gamblers operating within his jurisdiction.
Wright — who announced an abrupt leave of absence on April Fools’ Day 2025 due to “circumstances beyond [his] control,” according to a transfer-of-power letter obtained by FITSNews — resigned on May 23, 2025, within a week of his triumphant return to work.
In a 37-word letter addressed to his longtime ally, S.C governor Henry McMaster, Wright cited a “recent health diagnosis” as the reason for stepping down.
Separation paperwork provided by the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy claimed Wright’s resignation was voluntary and incorrectly stated there were no pending criminal charges or investigations at the time of his departure.
In addition to the FBI and SLED, sources maintain that Wright remains under investigation by the S.C. State Ethics Commission over the allegedly nepotistic hiring of his son, who was expelled from the sheriff’s office after Wright’s resignation.
Wright’s current legal team includes Columbia attorney Gregory Harris and former Seventh Circuit Solicitor and U.S. congressman Trey Gowdy.
This story may be updated.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
(Dynal Nolan/FITSNews)
Andrew Fancher is a Lone Star Emmy award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. Cut from a bloodline of outlaws and lawmen alike, he was the first of his family to graduate college which was accomplished with honors. Got a story idea or news tip for Andy? Email him directly and connect with him socially across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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9 comments
The Freedom Machine will do everything they can to mitigate the damage by delaying the investigation as long as possible in hopes that the public moves onto another bright shiny object presented to them by the Dinosaur media.
Of course Allan Wilson sends this case to a rookie who has not had time to figure out how things run inside the Freedom machine’s corrupt legal system and so will be at a disadvantage against the high priced attorneys this criminal Chucky Wright will pay to get him off.
Meanwhile Wilson will remain silent about his friend and distance himself by omission.
This case is just exposing the tip of an iceberg of corruption and partnerships between organized crime and the government officials.
There will be no real justice because it is the “just us” system for and by the criminals themselves. Rules for thee but not for me.
So, nothing to do with Wright’s annual adventures in road piracy (aka Civil Asset Forfeiture) known as “Operation Rolling Thunder”?
Wright is only the tip of the iceberg in Spartanburg.
I was trying my damnest to show everyone including the F B I that Chucky was all for his self. 14 years ago. But I understand my life doesn’t mean nothing to anyone else .
I was trying my damnest to show everyone including the F B I that Chucky was all for his self. 14 years ago. But I understand my life doesn’t mean nothing to anyone else
.
Would you be willing to elaborate for us?
I grew up in Spartanburg, but I live in Charleston now. I miss Bill Coffey!
Whenever you hear about a “501(3)c” or “nonprofit” that is working under or with a government agency, you should just replace the term with “scam”, “grift” or “tax money laundering operation.” Time and time again we find that the stealing goes on under the guise of a nonprofit organization. I remember when the secretary of state use to have his “angels” list (or something like that) of good nonprofits whose administrative expenses were very low compared to their money spent on their actual mission, as well as a list of bad ones. Several times there was an org who claimed to support families of police officers who were wounded or killed in the line of duty. The SoS identified them in multiple years as a scam – only giving about 8-12 cents on the dollar to actual intended recipients – the rest going to admin and fund raising costs. I never gave them a dime again. Pretty sure they and others complained and the SoS decided not to publish his list anymore.
he knew about Todd Kolhepp even before the investigations…. all that free land..