Georgia state representative arrested, indicted on pandemic unemployment fraud charges
Sharon Henderson is facing two counts of theft of government funds and 10 counts of making false statements.
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A Georgia state representative was arrested Monday after she was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to pandemic unemployment fraud.
Sharon Henderson, who represents district 113 in the state House of Representatives, was indicted on two counts of theft of government funds and 10 counts of making false statements, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
Henderson appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin Anand on Monday and entered a not-guilty plea. Bond was set at $10,000 and she was released.
Court documents state in 2020, Henderson, while a candidate for the seat, applied for federal pandemic unemployment benefits and claimed Henry County Schools was her employer at the time.
The U.S. attorney’s office said Henderson claimed she worked for the school district through March 2020, the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was substitute teacher in 2018 for five days, but “she had not worked for Henry County Schools since then,” the U.S. attorney’s office said.
“She had paystubs as evidence of that employment in 2019; and that her place of employment was closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency. She then allegedly submitted weekly certifications stating that she was unable to reach her place of employment because of a COVID-19 quarantine,” the U.S. attorney’s office said.
Just over $17,000 of pandemic unemployment benefits were collected, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
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“It is shocking that a public official would allegedly lie to profit from an emergency program designed to help suffering community members,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg. “Politicians who violate the public trust and steal from the needy to enrich themselves will be held accountable.”
Henderson was sworn into office in January 2021. District 113 covers western Newton County and parts of Covington.
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