Georgia lawmaker accused of ripping off taxpayers with pandemic unemployment fraud announces retirement

The 2nd Georgia authorities House subordinate accused of fabricating claims to cod national unemployment benefits during the pandemic has announced her retirement.

Karen Bennett of Stone Mountain – located astir 20 miles from Atlanta – is facing 1 number of making mendacious statements to cod $13,940 arsenic of Monday.

In an archetypal tribunal appearance, Bennett opted to waive indictment and was released connected $10,000 bail aft pleading not blameworthy to the charge. In national court, the determination to waive indictment often precedes a blameworthy plea. 

On Thursday, Bennett, a Democrat, resigned from the presumption she has held since 2012, successful which she represented portions DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. 

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Karen Bennett, a Democrat who utilized to correspond House District 94 successful Georgia, is present facing a national complaint for allegedly fraudulently obtaining COVID unemployment benefits. (Georgia House of Representatives)

"I americium arrogant of the enactment accomplished by the Georgia General Assembly erstwhile we came unneurotic to beforehand policies that strengthened our authorities and improved the lives of each Georgians," Bennett wrote successful a missive obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta. "Serving successful this capableness has genuinely been a labour of love, and 1 I volition profoundly miss." 

Prosecutors allege Bennett, who works arsenic a carnal therapist, lied erstwhile she claimed that successful 2020, she was incapable to enactment for her company, Metro Therapy Providers, owed to quarantine restrictions. 

Bennett, however, allegedly served successful an administrative relation wrong the institution and worked from a location office, alternatively than providing therapy to clients, according to prosecutors. 

Additionally, prosecutors allege that Metro Therapy continued its operations aft a little disruption during the pandemic, and that Bennett failed to adhd she was receiving a play wage of $905 from the African Methodist Episcopal Church, wherever she served arsenic a minister. 

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Georgia Rep. Karen Bennett, D-Stone Mountain, files for re-election, March 3, 2014, successful Atlanta.  (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

Bennett is the 2nd Democratic House subordinate successful Georgia to beryllium charged with making mendacious statements successful bid to person national funds, with prosecutors besides charging. Rep. Sharon Henderson of Covington connected charges of theft of authorities funds and making mendacious statements successful December.

Henderson is accused of illegally collecting $17,811 successful national unemployment benefits, and remains successful bureau portion escaped connected bail. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has yet to name a reappraisal committee to independently find if Henderson should beryllium suspended from her authorities presumption pursuing past month’s indictment.

In the midst of the pandemic, the national authorities utilized authorities employment systems to wage retired peculiar unemployment benefits to individuals who mislaid their jobs arsenic a effect of COVID-19.

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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is seen during the World Economic Forum successful Davos, Switzerland, connected Jan. 17, 2024.  (Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Democrats are expected to statesman the league connected Monday with 79 members successful the 180-member House, aft Democratic authorities Rep. Lynn Heffner of Augusta besides resigned earlier this week. Heffner revealed that her location had been severely damaged successful 2024’s Hurricane Helene and that rebuilding has reached an "impasse," perchance forcing her to determination retired of House District 130.

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 Kemp indispensable present telephone peculiar elections to regenerate some Bennett and Heffner, but it is unclear if their replacements volition beryllium seated earlier the extremity of the regular session.

Bennett's lawyer did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital's petition for comment.