EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Tanisha Carothers, a Fourth Ward City Council member in Evansville, has been arrested and charged with fraud and the defacing, falsifying, or destroying of election documents. The charges stem from an investigation initiated by a complaint filed by former City Council candidate Angela Bullock.
Carothers, who was arrested shortly after 5 p.m. on Tuesday, is accused of lying about her residency status on official election paperwork. According to the probable cause affidavit obtained by 14 News, Carothers was living outside the Evansville city limits at the time of her election, thus failing to meet the legal residency requirements for running for office. The affidavit alleges that Carothers submitted falsified documents claiming she resided within the city limits.
When questioned by police, Carothers reportedly explained that she had two leases at the same time but forgot that one had automatically renewed. Indiana law mandates that candidates must reside within their respective wards for at least six months prior to an election.
In addition to the election-related charges, authorities claim that Carothers submitted a fraudulent document in order to receive an employment benefit she was not entitled to, further compounding the charges against her.
Carothers has since been released from jail after posting a $50 cash bond. The Vanderburgh County Democrats have not issued a statement regarding the situation, with the party chair declining to comment at this time.
The case remains under investigation as officials assess the full extent of the alleged violations
