Former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin Arrested, Ordered to Spend 60 Days in Jail

Former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin was arrested Thursday and ordered to spend 60 days in jail after a judge found him in contempt of court over financial records tied to his divorce and child support proceedings.

Bevin, a Republican who served as Kentucky governor from 2015 to 2019, had been the subject of an arrest warrant since June after repeatedly failing to comply with a court order requiring him to turn over financial documents, according to the Lexington Herald Leader.

Judge Angela Johnson ordered Bevin held in the Louisville Metro jail for 60 days and imposed a $500 fine, per the New York Post.

The judge also criticized Bevin for missing several in-person hearings.

Bevin attempted to participate in a hearing through Zoom last month, but Johnson refused to allow him to appear remotely. She said Bevin had made the decision not to attend court and would have to face the consequences.

“Mr. Bevin made that decision not to be here, but you know, he’s going to pay for it in that he doesn’t get to go under oath and present his side of the story,” Johnson said.

Bevin’s wife, Glenna Bevin, filed for divorce in May 2023 and submitted her financial records as required by the court. Bevin did not provide his documents, which included information about his income, bank accounts and tax returns.

The dispute had already resulted in a contempt charge against Bevin in March. At the time, he told Johnson that he needed additional time because he did not have traditional documentation showing his income.

He was eventually ordered to either spend 14 days in jail or pay a $250 fine. Bevin paid the fine after appearing at a virtual hearing, where he said he could not attend in person because a boulder had fallen onto a home he owns in Maine.

The judge also ordered him to provide the outstanding financial records by June 5.

Shortly before that deadline, Bevin’s attorney submitted an emergency request seeking another 10 days to gather the documents. Johnson rejected the request and issued an arrest warrant on June 5.

Bevin remained wanted for months before his arrest Thursday. He now faces 60 days in jail and a $500 fine as the court continues addressing the unresolved financial records in his divorce case.

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