Cobb Woman Demanded Millions from Georgia, Judges

An antigovernment extremist from Kennesaw already under indictment in Cobb and DeKalb counties on multiple felonies was indicted Thursday on new charges and jailed without bond.

Starting in June 2012, according to that new Cobb indictment, Susan Lorraine Weidman filed a federal lawsuit against former Cobb Superior Court Judge Dorothy Robinson, DeKalb Superior Court Judge Tangela Barrie, Cobb and DeKalb counties, and the state of Georgia, demanding that all criminal charges against her be dropped and seeking $300 million in damages.

Weidman, now 51, was under indictment in Cobb County on multiple felonies related to her attempts to cancel the mortgages on her Kennesaw home on Chastain Pointe. In addition to that Cobb indictment, a DeKalb indictment alleged that Weidman and three codefendants broke into foreclosed homes in DeKalb, Forsyth, and Fulton counties and attempted to steal those properties with fraudulent paperwork by posing as attorneys and property management companies.

All of the alleged schemes outlined in the Cobb and DeKalb indictments are common practices among a large subculture of antigovernment extremists known as sovereign citizens. Sovereign citizens, according to the FBI, believe that even though they physically reside in the United States, they are separate from it and don't have to answer to any government authority, including courts, taxing entities, motor vehicle departments or law enforcement.

Indeed, when a judge dismissed Weidman's federal suit to get the charges in Cobb and DeKalb tossed, she filed affidavits with the court demanding a default judgment of $75 million, once on Sept. 12 and again on Oct. 4. Her three codefendants from that existing DeKalb indictment also sought to join her lawsuit.

More filings followed.

The last one came on Jan. 8 despite a judge's order to cease additional filings. Weidman allegedly forged the name of federal Judge Charles Pannell on a “Demand for Writ of Execution” form in an attempt to claim $50 million against the state of Georgia, $10 million against DeKalb County, $10 million against Barrie, and $5 million against Robinson.

Thursday's indictment on charges of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act alleges that Weidman; Giulio Greye, 60, of Decatur; Ian Justain Greye, 33, of Decatur; and Matthew Daniel Lowery, 28, of Decatur, engaged in acts involving theft; made fraudulent representations; attempted to intimidate or impede officers of the court in performing their duties; and committed mail fraud.

If convicted of all charges, they could each face a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.

An arrest warrant was issued for Weidman after Thursday’s indictment, and Cobb Sheriff’s deputies took her into custody at the Cobb County Superior Courthouse. Lowery, Giulio Greye and Justain Greye are already in custody in the DeKalb County Jail, said Kim Isaza, the spokeswoman for Cobb District Attorney Vic Reynolds.