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Lauren Hoggard was fired as the Town of Chocowinity’s Town Clerk on Aug. 21, 2024, the town’s attorney confirmed via a termination letter delivered to Hoggard.

Nearly a month before Hoggard’s termination, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations (NCSBI) received a request on July 26 from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s office to investigate allegations of embezzlement involving Hoggard, NCSBI shared.

The termination letter, signed by Chocowinity Mayor Jimmy H. Mobley Jr., states that Hoggard was fired for “failure in performance of duties and failure in personal conduct.”

Hoggard replaced Joy McRoy who served as town clerk before being terminated in August of 2022. McRoy is also under investigation by NCSBI for allegations of embezzlement from 2015 to 2022.

Michelle Peele has been named the new interim town clerk.