Former DCA employee among 6 charged in alleged $230,000 Georgia COVID relief scam
A former Georgia Department of Community Affairs employee is among six people newly indicted in Fulton County in an alleged scheme to steal nearly $230,000 from a COVID-19 rental assistance program meant to help struggling families.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced the indictment on Tuesday, saying the group is accused of defrauding the Georgia Department of Community Affairs' Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which is a federally funded initiative created to help renters and landlords impacted by the pandemic.
"The Emergency Rental Assistance Program was meant to provide critical relief to Georgia families who needed it most," Carr said in a statement. "For anyone to take advantage of the system for their own personal gain is unethical and blatantly illegal, and there will be consequences."
Among those indicted is former DCA employee Porsha Robinson. Prosecutors allege that while working for the agency from 2021 to 2022, Robinson submitted and approved nine fraudulent emergency rental assistance applications.
According to the indictment, Robinson allegedly diverted the rental assistance funds into bank accounts she owned or controlled. Five of the fraudulent applications were allegedly submitted in the names of her co-defendants, who are accused of providing Robinson with substantial kickbacks. The remaining applications were allegedly filed using the names of other citizens.
Carr said the case sends a clear message about public corruption.
"Let me be clear — if you use your government position to steal from Georgia taxpayers, you will be held accountable. Period," he said.
The indictment comes as state and federal authorities continue to pursue pandemic-related fraud cases across Georgia.
Separately, a third member of the Georgia House of Representatives has been accused of lying to collect thousands of dollars in unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rep. Dexter L. Sharper, a Democrat who represents District 177, is facing federal charges of making false statements to obtain funds administered by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Two other Democratic lawmakers have also been charged in recent months in connection with alleged pandemic unemployment fraud. In December, federal investigators charged Rep. Sharon Henderson with two counts of theft of government funds and 10 counts of making false statements. Gov. Brian Kemp suspended Henderson last month. Former Rep. Karen Bennett resigned before she was charged and pleaded guilty earlier this year to making false statements.
The Fulton County case involving the rental assistance program remains pending. Prosecutors have not released additional details about court dates or potential penalties.
