Former Georgia State Representative Karen L. Bennett has entered a guilty plea for making fraudulent claims to receive pandemic unemployment benefits, as the U.S. Department of Justice announced. Bennett, who stepped down from her position on January 1, admitted to illicitly obtaining over $13,000 in funds meant to aid those affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
Elected to serve and sworn in to act in the interest of the public, Bennett's actions betrayed the trust placed in her by her constituents. According to U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg, Bennett committed the fraudulent acts while representing the citizens of District 94 in the Georgia House of Representatives. In her applications for unemployment assistance, she falsified work histories and her income, claiming the pandemic impacted her employment—heavily mitigating a grave injustice to the people reliant on these funds for survival.
Bennett's deceit was discovered by investigators who found discrepancies in her claims and actual earnings. While she reported only a $300 per week income from the Georgia General Assembly, it emerged she was also receiving a weekly paycheck of $905 from a church and continued to operate her business, Metro Therapy Providers, Inc., from her home office. The revelations about these undisclosed incomes further highlight the breach of Bennett's responsibilities as a public servant.
The case, highlighting the need for integrity among elected officials, was investigated by several agencies, including the Georgia Office of the State Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office. In a statement obtained by the U.S. Department of Justice, Nigel Lange, Inspector General for the State of Georgia Office of Inspector General, emphasized the gravity of Bennett's actions, "Her sentencing should serve as a warning for others who have taken an oath of office that there is zero tolerance for this type of crime in Georgia."
Bennett's sentencing is scheduled for April 15. This case underscores the government's ongoing efforts to confront fraudulent activity, particularly through the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force collaborates with various government agencies to prevent and prosecute pandemic-related fraud. Tips on potential fraud pertaining to COVID-19 can be reported to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline or through the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
