Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen was served a 15-count indictment after allegedly pocketing wedding fees that should have been directed to the city, Auditor of State Keith Faber announced Friday.
Homrighausen is facing one count of theft in office, a third-degree felony; one count of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, a fourth-degree felony; six counts of filing incomplete, false, and fraudulent returns, all fifth-degree felonies; four counts of soliciting improper compensation, all first-degree misdemeanors; two counts of dereliction of duty, both second-decree misdemeanors; and one count of representation by a public official or employee, a first-degree misdemeanor.
The indictment comes after an investigation was opened up on the mayor. The auditor of state received an anonymous complaint that the mayor was accepting money for officiating weddings as an elected official.
The investigation was conducted with assistance from the Ohio Ethics Commission. Members of the Dover City Council also investigated alleged “illegal and improper” activities by the mayor.
It’s alleged that Homrighausen performed 231 marriages between January 2014 and May 2021 and received payments totaling $9,295 in cash and checks that he failed to remit to the city.
It was determined that the money collected by the mayor was not claimed on federal, state, and local tax returns. He also failed to declare the payments on ethics financial disclosure forms; and interviewed and hired his son for a city job in violation of state nepotismlaws.
In addition to the criminal charges, the Special Investigations Unit has recommended that Homrighausen be ordered to reimburse the city for the $9,295 in marriage ceremony payments and $3,956.50 for the costs of the state audit.