Former South Fulton engineer arrested in corruption probe

City employee charged in alleged kickback scheme

The city of South Fulton Police Department's corruption unit has just announced a city employee has been taken into custody and charged with multiple crimes.

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - A former civil engineer for the City of South Fulton has been arrested and charged with multiple crimes as part of an ongoing corruption investigation, police announced on Thursday.

What we know:

Hal Moon, who previously worked in the city’s Planning and Zoning Department, faces charges of bribery, theft by deception, and forgery. Authorities say Moon used his position to steer developers away from the official city process and toward personal contacts, bypassing city protocols and misappropriating public funds.

The City of South Fulton Police Department’s Corruption Unit launched the investigation after receiving a tip. Officials say approximately $30,000, much of it intended for the city’s tree fund, was misdirected during Moon’s tenure.

Police have not ruled out additional arrests in connection with the scheme. 

What they're saying:

"A developer would actually come into the city, Mr. Moon would make an assessment of the property itself," South Fulton Police Chief Keith Meadows said. "For instance, if trees needed to be cut down, he would make that recommendation to them. And instead of sending them through the city’s process, he would send them to his personal contacts."

"We're still in the primary stages with regards to the investigation, so I think it’s important for us to be thorough," Meadows said. "What we’re doing right now is going back through his historical transactions to see if we see a certain pattern of behavior associated with Mr. Moon’s transactions over that time period."

City officials emphasized the importance of maintaining public trust throughout the investigation.

"Trust means everything about our residents," said a spokesperson during a press briefing at South Fulton City Hall.

What we don't know:

The investigation remains ongoing.