Grand Jury Continues To Look At N.C. Rep. Frank Ballance, Hyman Foundation

co-founded the John Hyman Foundation years ago when he served as a state senator. He helped direct millions in state money to the nonprofit organization. A federal grand jury continues to ask where did that money go and why?

Department of Correction Controller Paul Gross is the latest to testify before the federal grand jury. It was Gross who first cut off DOC funds to the Hyman Foundation in Warrenton. He stepped in when the drug counseling center failed to document where it spent thousands of taxpayer dollars.

Last month, state Sen. Robert Holloman was called to testify. His Hertford County church received tens of thousands of dollars from the Hyman Foundation.

Federal and state agents are tracking the money trail that flowed through the nonprofit organization. Not only did state auditors have trouble finding where taxpayer money went, they determined several instances of conflict of interest. Auditors found Ballance's family, friends and contributors received money from the Hyman Foundation.

While Ballance admits sloppy bookkeeping, he denies he did anything criminally wrong.

December marks the second month in a row that the federal grand jury has heard testimony in the Hyman Foundation case. Typically, these type of investigations can take several months. The foundation shut down earlier this year when its funding was cut off.