A Georgia state representative admitted she falsely collected $17,811 in pandemic-era unemployment benefits, pleaded guilty in federal court, and faces sentencing in November 2026 as multiple law enforcement agencies investigate the case alongside prior similar convictions of other state lawmakers.
Sharon Henderson, 67, of Covington, Georgia, pleaded guilty today in federal court to making false statements to obtain unemployment funds administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. The charges allege she fraudulently collected $17,811 in pandemic unemployment benefits through false information in her application and weekly certifications. Sentencing is scheduled for November 3, 2026, at 10:00 AM, before U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown. The case is drawing attention because Henderson was serving as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives when some of the alleged fraud occurred.
Court records say Congress created special unemployment programs in 2020 to help people hit by the COVID-19 economic shutdown. Applicants had to provide recent work histories, attest that COVID-19 caused their job loss, and submit weekly certifications confirming they were actively seeking work. The government maintains those safeguards to ensure pandemic relief reached people truly in need rather than those willing to lie. Prosecutors say Henderson undermined that trust by misrepresenting her employment history and the circumstances around her unemployment.
According to the indictment and guilty plea, Henderson applied in June 2020 while a candidate for the state House, claiming recent employment with Henry County Schools. She allegedly said she had paystubs and that her workplace closed because of the COVID-19 public health emergency, then filed weekly certifications claiming quarantine-related inability to reach work. Prosecutors say Henderson had not worked for the school system for nearly two years and had only worked five days as a substitute teacher in 2018.
Those five days are central to the government’s argument because Henderson previously signed an acknowledgment that substitute teachers were not eligible for unemployment wages. Investigators say she filed eight fraudulent weekly certifications in June 2021, after being sworn in as the representative for District 113, which covers western Newton County and part of Covington. The timeline has added to the political fallout since she held elective office while submitting the applications and certifications at issue.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg criticized the conduct in blunt terms, saying, “While running for and holding political office, Representative Henderson was fleecing taxpayers, lying to steal money from federal programs intended to help people who lost their jobs due to the pandemic.” He added that the prosecution and conviction show elected officials who enrich themselves through fraud will be held accountable for violating the public’s trust. That message is echoed across investigators involved in the case.
State Inspector General Nigel Lange said, “Sharon Henderson, while holding elected office in the Georgia House of Representatives, illegally obtained taxpayer-funded unemployment benefits that were intended to provide financial assistance to workers who lost their jobs through no fault of their own.” His office says it remains committed to pursuing cases where public funds are misused, and the investigation involves multiple law enforcement agencies working together. Those agencies include the Georgia Office of the State Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Labor, was similarly direct: “By exploiting her position for personal gain, she violated the public’s trust and undermined the integrity of our institutions. Public officials who betray the American people and abuse their power for personal benefit will be held fully accountable for their despicable actions. No one is above the law. My office will aggressively investigate those who dare to exploit public trust and defraud the American people.”
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham added, “Pandemic relief programs were created to help Americans facing genuine hardship—not to enrich those willing to lie for personal gain.” She warned that when elected officials abuse these programs, it erodes public confidence in government institutions and the integrity of public service. The FBI and partners say they will continue to investigate anyone who exploits federal programs for personal benefit.
The Henderson case is not isolated. Two other former Georgia state representatives previously pleaded guilty to similar pandemic unemployment fraud, each accused of collecting amounts in the low five figures. Karen L. Bennett pleaded guilty to making false statements to collect $13,940, and Dexter L. Sharper pleaded guilty to making false statements to collect $13,825. Those cases form part of a broader enforcement effort targeting pandemic fraud nationwide.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Garrett L. Bradford. Authorities encourage anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 relief to contact the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or to use the NCDF Web Complaint Form. The prosecution aims to send a clear signal that fraud against federal relief programs will be pursued vigorously, regardless of the offender’s public position.
