ATLANTA — A third Georgia state lawmaker is facing federal charges for pandemic relief financial fraud.
State Representative Dexter Sharper of Valdosta is accused of applying for and receiving nearly $14,000 in unemployment assistance.
U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg says on government forms Sharper claimed he had no income, but that wasn’t the case.
“He was receiving funds from numerous sources of income in the 2020 and 2021 period while claiming falsely to the department of labor that he was unemployed, and unemployed as a result of the pandemic,” Hertzberg says.
“He received at least $325 each week from the Georgia General Assembly for his position as a state representative. His party rental business was operating and generating income of up to $2,231 per week,” reports Hertzberg.
He says that the dollar amount is not the problem.
“These are not enormous sums, especially when it comes to federal fraud prosecutions. But what connects all of these cases is our commitment to ensure that any public official who lies in order to steal from the public will be prosecuted and punished,” says Hertzberg.
Sharper is expected to plead guilty during an upcoming court appearance.
State Representative Karen Bennett of Stone Mountain was charged with pandemic-era fraud in early January.
Newton County State Representative Sharon Henderson was charged with fraud in December. She pleaded not guilty.