Sharon Henderson, a Georgia State Representative, was arrested following an indictment by a federal grand jury on charges related to pandemic unemployment fraud. She faces two counts of theft of government funds and ten counts of making false statements. Henderson is expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin S. Anand and is anticipated to plead not guilty.
United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg commented on the case, stating, “It is shocking that a public official would allegedly lie to profit from an emergency program designed to help suffering community members. Politicians who violate the public trust and steal from the needy to enrich themselves will be held accountable.”
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown said, “Sharon Henderson allegedly chose greed over compassion by fraudulently obtaining funds meant to help those in need, some in her own Georgia House district. We remain committed to find those who take advantage of federal programs meant to help those truly in need.”
Mathew Broadhurst, Special Agent in Charge for the Southeast Region at the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, added, “An important part of the mission of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud involving unemployment insurance programs. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate these types of allegations.”
Georgia State Inspector General Nigel Lange stated, “Nobody is above the law, especially Georgia’s elected officials. This indictment should send a clear message that theft of government funds intended for qualified citizens will not be tolerated. GA-OIG appreciates the efforts of our state and federal partners in bringing this case for prosecution.”
According to information presented by prosecutors, special unemployment compensation programs were created by Congress in 2020 as a response to business closures and economic hardship caused by COVID-19. Applicants had to provide their recent work histories and certify their unemployment was due to COVID-19 each week they claimed benefits.
Prosecutors allege that Henderson applied for pandemic unemployment benefits in June 2020 while she was running for office, claiming she worked for Henry County Schools despite only having worked there as a substitute teacher for five days in 2018 and not since then. The agreement she signed as a substitute teacher stated she was not eligible for unemployment wages. Nevertheless, it is alleged that Henderson claimed ongoing employment through March 2020 and submitted paystubs as evidence for employment during 2019.
She also allegedly submitted weekly certifications asserting her inability to work due to COVID-19 quarantine after being sworn into office as state representative for District 113. In total, it is alleged that she collected $17,811 in pandemic unemployment benefits based on these claims.
The indictment notes that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The investigation involves several agencies: the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Georgia Office of the State Inspector General (GA-OIG), and DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford is prosecuting the case.
The Department of Justice established its COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force on May 17, 2021, aiming to coordinate resources across agencies and strengthen efforts against pandemic-related fraud schemes (https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus).
Individuals with information about potential COVID-19-related fraud can report tips via phone or through an online complaint form provided by the National Center for Disaster Fraud (https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form).
For more details or press inquiries regarding this case or other matters handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, contact information can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.