Buncombe County wants $950,000 from former manager Wanda Greene

Jennifer Bowman | The Citizen-Times

Show Caption Hide Caption Key Buncombe personnel departures follow Wanda Greene investigation Several officials are no longer with Buncombe County following the fallout of the federal investigation into former manager Wanda Greene.

ASHEVILLE — A lien has been placed on property owned by Wanda Greene as Buncombe County seeks more than $950,000 in its lawsuit against the former county manager, according to recent court filings.

Records show the sheriff's office has been ordered to "attach and keep safely" Greene's property within Buncombe after a county-hired attorney argued she intended to defraud her creditors.

A written return showing the order has been executed had not yet been filed as of Monday afternoon.

Lien filed for Wanda Greene's bank property

As part of the June 21 order of attachment, a lien was created on all of Greene's property possessed by State Employees' Credit Union. The bank has been summoned as a garnishee and must disclose what of Greene's property is in its possession, and whether it's aware of anyone else who has her property.

Greene and her son, former county employee Michael Greene, are accused in Buncombe’s suit of a series of violations, from fraud to receipt of unlawful compensation to breaking the state Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act.

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County officials targeted several expenditures made during Wanda Greene's tenure, including retention incentives, valuable life insurance policies and purchases made using county-issued credit cards. The suit also claims signatures purported to be that of former commissioners chairman David Gantt were forged on documents for Greene’s retention incentive.

Michael Greene is not a subject of any of the orders issued last week, though he is a co-defendant in the suit.

An order of attachment essentially prohibits property to be moved and transferred amid pending litigation. It's "intended to bring property of a defendant within the legal custody of the court in order that it may subsequently be applied to the satisfaction of any judgment for money which may be rendered against the defendant in the principal action," according to state statute.

In the county's application, attorney Ron Payne argued Greene has removed property from North Carolina, and disposed of and secreted property since retiring from Buncombe last summer.

Payne, a former Superior Court judge, has been hired by the county for its suit against the Greenes.

The county pointed to several of Greene's transactions since she retired from the county and subsequently fell under investigation: a wire transfer of life insurance proceeds to a Tennessee firm for a real estate transaction "in an attempt to defraud creditors, to conceal and (secrete) assets, and to avoid detection and liabilities;" a $100,000 transfer to her son and another individual; and the sale of her Arden house earlier this month for $325,000.

The order was granted, with the court saying "it appears to the satisfaction of the court that the allegations in the plaintiff's affidavit are true."

Buncombe obtained bonds as required by state law, a secured $5,000 and another unsecured $50,000. If the suit is dismissed or the county does not win a judgment against Greene, she is entitled to recover damages directly from the bond.

The county is seeking more than $950,000, according to court documents. Its suit was filed days after Greene was again indicted on federal charges, this time for money laundering and fraud tied to the $2.3 million purchase of valuable life insurance policies.

Mounting charges for Greene and son

Greene and her son were indicted on separate charges in April. Prosecutors allege the duo used county-issued credit cards for more than $200,000 worth of improper purchases over a decade, charging them with fraud and conspiracy. Wanda Greene additionally is charged with embezzlement.

Both have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Last week’s lien notice joins a move by federal officials, who froze nearly $30,000 in a State Employees’ Credit Union account assigned to Wanda Greene. The account was used by Greene to deposit the proceeds from cashed-out policies and to wire $155,000 to a Tennessee law firm for the purposes of a real estate transaction.

Greene is required to notify the court of any financial transactions over $10,000 under the conditions of her release amid the pending federal charges.

She now lives in Mills River, according to court filings.

Thomas Amburgey, Greene's attorney, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

You can read the county's lawsuit against the Greenes here: