GA Lawmaker Arrested In $17K Federal Fraud Case

ATLANTA, GA — Georgia House Rep. Sharon Henderson was arrested Monday after being accused of fraudulently accepting more than $17,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Henderson, D-113, was accused of collecting $17,811 in pandemic unemployment benefits. She faces charges of two counts of theft of government funds and 10 counts of making false statements, justice officials said.

While on the campaign trail in June 2020, she claimed she still worked for Henry County Schools when she applied for the federal benefits, justice officials said.

Before then, they said Henderson spent five days working as a substitute teacher for the metro Atlanta school system in 2018 but has not been employed with HCSS since then.

At that time, a substitute teacher agreement that justice officials said Henderson signed included the caveat that substitutes were not eligible to receive unemployment wages.

Henderson is accused of claiming on her benefit application that she worked for HCSS in 2019 and on March 10, 2020. Additionally, the DOJ said Henderson maintained she had paystubs from 2019 and "that her place of employment was closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency."

Other accusations against Henderson include the submission of weekly certifications that she could not attend her place of employment because of COVID-19 quarantining. The DOJ said eight such certifications were submitted in June 2021 after she had been sworn in to represent western Newton County in the state's House of Representatives.

“Sharon Henderson allegedly chose greed over compassion by fraudulently obtaining funds meant to help those in need, some in her own Georgia House district,” FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown said in a news release. “We remain committed to find those who take advantage of federal programs meant to help those truly in need.”

Henderson was expected to enter a not guilty plea in federal court Monday afternoon, the DOJ said.