Hampton County Responds To Equipment Repossession Reports

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by JENN WOOD

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Just weeks after Hampton County, South Carolina residents packed a town hall and demanded accountability for years of fiscal mismanagement, county government is once again under scrutiny — this time over reports that several pieces of heavy equipment were repossessed from its public works department.

On Wednesday afternoon (October 16, 2025), Hampton County issued an official statement confirming that a leasing vendor temporarily removed “several pieces of equipment” due to what the county described as a payment posting error — not missed or delinquent payments.

“The county immediately investigated, identified that funds totaling approximately $53,000 had not been properly applied to individual lease accounts, and took corrective action,” the statement read. “All accounts are now current through November 2025, and the equipment is being returned to County facilities immediately.”

County officials said the incident stemmed from a clerical or accounting error within its payment system and not from an actual failure to pay. They also claimed new “internal controls” had been implemented to strengthen financial tracking, communication, and accountability.

The post concluded with a familiar refrain:

“The county appreciates the community’s patience and understanding as we continue to modernize financial systems and maintain transparency in county operations.”

RUMORS SWIRL BEFORE OFFICIAL RESPONSE

Before the official clarification appeared, social media posts lit up across Hampton County with unconfirmed reports alleging that graders and track hoes had been repossessed overnight from county facilities.

Community pages quickly circulated the story, with several users citing anonymous sources and photos purportedly showing heavy machinery being loaded onto trailers. Others suggested the issue involved John Deere, not the county itself — an assertion later echoed in the government’s follow-up message thanking residents for helping “clarify” the situation.

The latest confusion arrives months after the release of a forensic audit (.pdf) which exposed years of sloppy accounting practices, missing documentation, and unauthorized transfers within Hampton County government. That 50-page report, released in June by Eide Bailly LLP, detailed millions of dollars diverted from restricted funds — including voter-approved capital-project revenues — to cover operating shortfalls.

During a tense community meeting earlier this month, former councilwoman Maggie Knox, state treasurer Curtis Loftis, and representative Bill Hager pressed for reforms, citing poor internal controls and a pattern of “reactive governance” that has eroded public trust.

This week’s payment-posting fiasco — whether isolated or systemic — only reinforces those concerns.

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RELATED | FORENSIC AUDIT FALLOUT

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PUBLIC REACTION: “SORRY, NOT BUYING A WORD OF IT”

While county officials insisted the matter was resolved quickly, many Hampton County residents voiced deep skepticism online — seeing the episode as another sign of the county’s long-running financial dysfunction.

Resident Aubrey Dempsey was among the first to push back, arguing that repossessions don’t happen overnight. He called the county’s explanation “paper thin,” noting creditors typically exhaust all communication options before seizing equipment.

“They don’t repossess after a single missed payment,” he wrote, accusing the administration of hiding behind convenient excuses.

Others questioned the logic of the county’s official statement. Jim Thomas asked why new “internal controls” were being implemented if, as officials claimed, the county wasn’t at fault.

“I appreciate the quick public statement and attempt at transparency,” Thomas said, “but why change something if you did nothing wrong?”

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Several commenters pointed to what they described as broader financial instability within county government. Tara Lynn Thomas questioned how an alleged “posting error” could occur when local vendors and employees had recently faced payment issues.

“John Deere would not make this many trips for it to be a mistake,” she wrote. “Ask Mixon Oil how long their payment has been in the mail. They messed up payroll a couple weeks ago, shorted many people — then paid $14,000 for a two-day study of Fire/EMS.”

For resident Trina Crews Tant, the incident only confirmed what she sees as entrenched corruption.

“There is corruption so deep in the county government and offices,” she wrote. “It’s so sad, but people keep electing the same old ones — so they must be happy their hard-earned money is being stolen and misused.”

Rhonda Bozard Mills linked the issue to leadership turnover, criticizing county council for parting ways with MRB Group — the firm once tasked with repairing Hampton’s finances.

“If county council had let MRB remain on board getting the finances in order,” she said, “there would be no need for a deputy administrator and five outside consultants being paid.”

Across the comment threads, the theme was unmistakable: residents are out of patience. To them, this latest “error” is less a one-off glitch than another symptom of a government still struggling to earn back the public’s trust.

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RELATED | ‘WASTE, ABUSE AND UNAUTHORIZED SPENDING’

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DIGGING DEEPER..

As of Thursday (October 16, 2025), the equipment had reportedly been returned to county facilities and operations resumed. FITSNews has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request (.pdf) for documentation verifying the payment correction and the internal-control changes referenced in the county’s statement.

While we await answers to our FOIA, the saga of the repossessed equipment underscored the lack of trust Hampton citizens have in their county government after the recent debacle that followed from its tax hike.

For residents, the message was clear: they voted for recreation centers, libraries, and emergency facilities — and instead watched millions siphoned off to keep the county afloat. The forensic audit may have put numbers to years of suspicion, but it will be state investigators and prosecutors who determine whether Hampton County’s failures remain a political scandal or become a criminal case.

Several speakers at the recent town hall reminded the crowd that real accountability won’t just come from Columbia — it will come at the ballot box. Knox noted that past efforts to “cut the head off the snake” failed because entrenched incumbents still held power, while Loftis encouraged citizens to stay engaged and demand fiscal transparency from their leaders. Hager echoed the point, urging residents to keep up grassroots pressure on both county council and state investigators.

Until then, the town hall — and now this latest controversy — offered more outrage than resolution, and a reminder that the fight for accountability in Hampton County is far from over.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

As a private investigator turned journalist, Jenn Wood brings a unique skill set to FITSNews as its research director. Known for her meticulous sourcing and victim-centered approach, she helps shape the newsroom’s most complex investigative stories while producing the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts. Jenn lives in South Carolina with her family, where her work continues to spotlight truth, accountability, and justice.

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