Acting TBI director investigated for alleged misuse of funds during affair

Acting TBI Director Jason Locke has been accused of misusing state funds by his wife and is now the subject of an investigation, reports The Tennessean and other media.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury the Tennessee Department of Safety, and Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk are all communicating about the matter, according to officials.

(Gov. Bill) Haslam spokeswoman Jennifer Donnals said Haslam’s office received emailed complaints from Kim Locke, Jason Locke’s wife, Friday. In the emails, Kim Locke outlined her concerns that her husband had used state funds during an affair with another state employee.

She asked the governor for help, noting she was “afraid that I’m in danger.”

Kim Locke shared similar information with The Tennessean and other news outlets.

Donnals said the governor’s office forwarded the information to the Department of Safety for review. She referred all other questions to the state comptroller.

Investigators are looking into “the accusation of misuse of state funds” after the complaint was submitted, TBI spokesman Josh DeVine said in a statement.

“The TBI has been made aware of, and takes seriously, the accusations involving Acting Director Jason Locke,” DeVine said.

WKRN reports Locke hired Lebanon attorney Jeff Cherry on Monday.

The District Attorney General’s office also released a statement on the allegations, saying, “We have been in communication with the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury and the Department of Safety and Homeland Security regarding the investigation of the Interim Director of the TBI, Jason Locke.”