ATLANTA — Federal prosecutors say a Georgia lawmaker lied to get more than $18,000 in COVID relief funds.
U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg also warned that there are more arrests coming involving state lawmakers.
“This is the first of what will be several indictments against members of the state legislature for taking funds for which they were not entitled,” Hertzberg said.
In an exclusive interview with Channel 2’s Richard Elliot, Hertzberg said his office is going after other members of the Georgia General Assembly for taking pandemic unemployment benefits to which they were not entitled.
The first arrest came Monday morning when federal agents took Democratic State Rep. Sharon Henderson into custody at her home.
In an indictment, federal prosecutors allege the two-term lawmaker lied when she applied for nearly $18,000 in COVID unemployment money by claiming the pandemic put her out of work, when agents said she hadn’t worked as a substitute teacher for Henry County schools for years.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Recall alert: Blood pressure medication recalled; may be contaminated with wrong drug
- Man shot at young shopper outside Lowe’s. He thought he should be rewarded, witness says
- Police ID suspect in deadly Bojangles shooting as employee
“The indictment alleges that Representative Henderson took COVID money that was earmarked to help people who needed that because they were unable to work during the pandemic and received it even though she wasn’t entitled to do so. Essentially, she lied in order to steal,” Hertzberg said.
House Republican Majority Leader Chuck Efstration said in a statement that “no one is above the law. Public officials should be held to the high standards of stewards of taxpayer funds, both in their public and personal lives.”
Hertzberg promised that he will go after other state lawmakers and others he thinks are guilty of theft or malfeasance.
“Whether it’s malfeasance in office, or if it’s conduct that makes them unfit because they’re engaged in criminal conduct, we take all of it very seriously, and we will prosecute people and hold them accountable,” Hertzberg said.
Elliot also reached out to House Democratic Minority Leader Carolyn Hughley for comment on this story, but he hasn’t heard back.
Henderson is out on $10,000 unsecured bond. She could be back on the floor of the General Assembly next month.
©2025 Cox Media Group
