EX‑GEORGIA POLS BUSTED IN PANDEMIC CASH GRABS: FEDS SAY THEY MILKED COVID BENEFITS WHILE STILL WORKING

By Rob Redding

Editor & Publisher

NEW YORK, Jan. 8, 2025, 11 a.m. — Two former Georgia lawmakers are in hot water after federal prosecutors say they treated pandemic unemployment programs like their own personal ATM.

Karen Bennett, who quietly resigned from the Georgia House last year, was slapped with federal charges for allegedly pocketing nearly $14,000 in COVID jobless benefits she wasn’t entitled to.

Feds say Bennett cried quarantine hardship while she was actually working remotely and pulling in $905 a week from a church job. She reapplied for benefits in May 2020 after an initial denial, claiming her therapy work was shut down by COVID. Prosecutors say that was a tall tale; she kept doing administrative work from home and never provided the in‑home services she claimed were blocked.

But Bennett isn’t the only former lawmaker in the fraud spotlight.

Sharon Henderson was hauled in after a federal grand jury hit her with 12 counts, including theft of government funds and making false statements. Prosecutors say Henderson applied for pandemic unemployment benefits in June 2020, pretending she was still employed by Henry County Schools, even though she hadn’t worked there since 2018 and knew she didn’t qualify.

Investigators say she falsely claimed she was job-hunting and couldn’t reach her workplace due to COVID restrictions, raking in $17,811 in taxpayer cash.

The cases are part of a sweeping federal crackdown on pandemic relief fraud, especially when it involves public officials who should’ve known better. The Department of Justice has prioritized investigating and prosecuting those who exploited the emergency benefits system, emphasizing that public trust must be maintained and that abuse of taxpayer funds will not be tolerated.

Bennett is out on bond and has pleaded not guilty. Henderson is expected to enter a plea in court as the feds continue tightening the net on anyone who cashed in during the crisis.

Rob Redding is the author of Black Power in the Age of Artificial Supremacy Featuring Redding-Shim Kwet Yung out on Amazon.com now. He is the bestselling author of 17 books. He is the host of Redding News Review Unrestricted and creator of ReddingNewsReview.com. He is also an emerging visual artist who lives and teaches at two colleges in New York City.

The breaking point came in September 2024, when Black employee Brethny Espinosa finally reported the racist comments to the regional manager. J.G. was fired, but the racial abuse didn’t stop. A coworker, frustrated with A.G.’s continued hostility, left a note reading “[A.G.] hates Black people” in a private area of the restaurant. That employee was promptly fired for “using inappropriate language,” sparking accusations of racial bias.

The EEOC’s Elizabeth Cannon condemned the franchise’s inaction, saying, “Failure to investigate or stop racially offensive conduct is appalling and unlawful.”

Target Market Enterprises, which owns nine Little Caesars locations, has yet to respond publicly. They face a legal battle that could cost them millions if found guilty of fostering a racially hostile workplace.

Rob Redding is the author of Black Power in the Age of Artificial Supremacy Featuring Redding-Shim Kwet Yung out on Amazon.com now. He is the bestselling author of 17 books. He is the host of Redding News Review Unrestricted and creator of ReddingNewsReview.com. He is also an emerging visual artist who lives and teaches at two colleges in New York City.