Madison County Treasurer charged with alleged property tax fraud
MADISON COUNTY, Iowa – Additional criminal charges have been brought against embattled Madison County Treasurer Amanda DeVos, according to the Madison County Sheriff's Office.
'These charges are separate from earlier charges filed in relation to vehicle registrations and stem from an investigation into DeVos' own property taxes that were owed for 2023/2024,' said Sheriff Jason Barnes in a written statement.
Court records show DeVos, 37, had been free from jail after posting a $5,000 surety bond when the new charges were handed down. She had initially been arrested on January 31 for alleged felonious misconduct in office, tampering with records, fraudulent practice in the third degree, and third-degree theft.
In that case, a criminal complaint states MCSO investigators had been tipped off in late November that DeVos may have used her access as county treasurer to alter government records to make it look like she paid $758 for her vehicle registration plates when she had not.
On Thursday, Sheriff Barnes said similar charges were filed in connection to an entirely different criminal scenario allegedly involving her property taxes. Court records on the new charges had not been filed in the state's online record system as of late Thursday night, but the Sheriff said they included additional counts of felonious misconduct in office and tampering with records, as well as fraudulent practice in the second degree and second-degree theft.
According to court documents, DeVos is a married mother of two. Property tax records show she and her husband purchased their home in Winterset's Copper Fox Estates in 2018 for $375,000. The taxes owed for that property for July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, were $5,830.00, according to a county tax bill that also boasts DeVos' official Treasurer letterhead (below).
DeVos-TaxBillDownload
Sheriff Barnes told WHO-13 last week that he had nearly wrapped up his report on the investigation surrounding DeVos' alleged misconduct in office and that he had expected more charges to come. Madison County Attorney Stephen Swanson said he recused himself from the case due to a conflict of interest. Therefore, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird's office took over. Her office did not respond to WHO-13's inquiry regarding it.
State Auditor Rob Sand previously acknowledged 'multiple issues in Madison County,' and said in a statement that he had been working with local officials on a response. Due to Chapter 11.42 of the Code of Iowa, his office cannot provide further information surrounding an audit until a formal report is issued.
DeVos has not been charged in connection to the apparent mishandling of county funds, which appears to have plagued nearly every municipality and school district in Madison County.
WHO-13 confirmed the City of Winterset received more than $250,000 in funds due for other municipalities and discovered that late property tax payments to the Winterset Community School District forced it to withdraw funds from investment opportunities to cover payroll multiple times.
Other local governments and organizations that have confirmed to WHO-13 they had an issue with either late payments, over payments, double payments, erroneous deposits and/or communication with the treasurer's office include the following:
-The Community of Earlham
-The City of Macksburg
-The City of Patterson
-The City of St. Charles
-The City of Truro
-Earlham Community Schools
-The Interstate 35 Community School District
This is a developing story. More information may be added after the criminal complaint for the nost recent charges are filed online.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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