Federal charges against former state representative
Former Georgia state lawmaker Karen Bennett is facing a federal charge after prosecutors said she wrongly collected nearly 14,000 dollars in COVID unemployment benefits. Bennett previously represented House District 94 for 12 years. She announced her retirement at the end of December.
What prosecutors say happened
According to court records, Bennett applied for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance in May 2020. She said her private business, Metro Therapy, was her main source of income and that the pandemic stopped her from working.
However, prosecutors said she continued to work from home in an administrative role. They also said the therapists with the company kept working after a short break. Additionally, Bennett still worked for the Georgia General Assembly at the same time and reported 300 dollars a week from that job, but she did not report other income.
Extra income not reported
Court filings also said Bennett received weekly pay of 905 dollars from a church while claiming unemployment benefits. Prosecutors argued she was not prevented from working and was not actively looking for another job during this period, even though she said she was.
Her legal response
Bennett pleaded not guilty and was released on a 10,000 dollar bond. Her attorneys have not commented so far. In her retirement letter, Bennett said she was proud of her time serving the people of Georgia and called the experience a labor of love.
What happens next
The case will continue in federal court. If convicted, Bennett could face penalties for making false statements tied to unemployment benefits during the pandemic.
