🌱 GA Inmate Accused Of Stealing $11M + New Mural In District 12

Hi all. It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Atlanta Daily. Here's all the community news you need to know right now. Today you'll read about these stories and more:

• Georgia inmate accused of stealing millions from California billionaire
• Atlanta police arrest several people in a street racing incident
• A new mural in District 12 highlighting Atlanta's civil rights leaders

But first, today's weather:

Sunny, breezy and cooler. High: 55 Low: 34.

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Here are the top five stories today in Atlanta:

1. An inmate from Georgia stands accused of stealing $11 million by reportedly impersonating billionaires while inside a maximum-security prison. 31-year-old Arthur Lee Cofield Jr., a gang member serving 14 years for armed robbery, is being charged with using contraband cell phones from inside the Georgia Department of Corrections’ Special Management Unit. Using these phones, he reportedly opened a fraudulent bank account under the name of California billionaire Sidney Kimmel. Prosecutors believe Cofield then arranged for a private plane to transfer the funds to Atlanta, where a portion of the money was used to purchase a $4.4 million Buckhead property. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
2. This weekend, Atlanta police arrested several people in a major street racing incident. Officers were alerted that throughout Saturday evening and into early Sunday morning, reckless drivers were engaging in burnouts and donuts in the middle of major intersections. Ten people from the metro Atlanta area were charged and 10 vehicles were impounded. (Atlanta Patch)
3. A woman from Atlanta has been hit with dozens of charges for defrauding FEMA out of millions of dollars in relief funds for Hurricane Maria. Tiffany Brown, 43, has been charged with 11 counts of major disaster fraud, as well as 14 counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, and one count of theft of government money. Brown was indicted for the charges by a federal grand jury back in September. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
4. Have you seen the gorgeous new mural up in District 12? “Let Freedom Roll” by Ashley Dopson celebrates several civil rights leaders who helped to change Atlanta for the better. Featured on the mural are Rev. Joseph E. Boone, Coretta Scott King, former U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young, and more. (Atlanta City Council via Facebook)
5. This Halloween season, the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management wants to get in on the fun! The annual Trick or Treatment Tour is on Oct. 31 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant. Attendees are encouraged to wear costumes while enjoying games, treats, and a movie under the stars. Click here to register for the event. (Atlanta Department of Watershed Management via Facebook)

Today in Atlanta:

• Author Talk With Mary Kay Andrews at Central Library (12:00 PM)
• Crablegs & Karaoke At Boogalou (7:00 PM)
• WABE Presents Sounds Like ATL at City Winery (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Powerball jackpot has reached $480 million, and people all over Atlanta are ready to hear about the big winner. The last time someone won the Powerball jackpot was back on Aug. 3, when a Pennsylvania ticket holder won $206.9 million. (WSB Atlanta)
• If you live, work, or own a business along Candler Road, you'll want to pay attention: MARTA is offering virtual and in-person meetings so you can stay up to date on transit news and changes. Click here for more information. (MARTA via Facebook)
• The first week of Atlanta Innovation was incredible! If you missed out, here's a recap of everything that went down. (Metro Atlanta Chamber via Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a senior writer with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.