Democrat Ex-Lawmaker Karen Bennett Charged With Alleged Pandemic Fraud

Former Democratic Georgia state Rep. Karen Bennett was charged Monday with fraudulently acquiring COVID-19 pandemic-era unemployment benefits, according to news coverage.

Federal prosecutors allege that Bennett improperly secured $13,940 in federal unemployment benefits and supplements in 2020 after falsely claiming that the pandemic had hindered her from working, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) reported on Tuesday. Bennett pleaded not guilty to the charges, AJC reported, citing court filings.

Bennett could not immediately be reached for comment.

Bennett notably stepped down from her position in the Georgia House of Representatives just days before she was charged, The Georgia Recorder reported on Monday. Bennett had submitted an application for federal pandemic relief funding in May 2020 and named two employers, the state General Assembly and Metro Therapy, the outlet reported, citing a charging document from the U.S. District Court in Atlanta.

Bennett had claimed in her pandemic-era unemployment assistance application that her work involved providing in-home physical therapy and that pandemic-related restrictions had prevented her from doing that job, the charging document states, according to The Georgia Recorder. Prosecutors are alleging these statements were false, the outlet reported.

“Before the pandemic her actual role with Metro Therapy was an administrative one and she worked from her home office; she did not provide in-home services for clients,” according to the charging document, The Georgia Recorder reported. “She was not prohibited from reaching her home office because of the pandemic. She was able to continue working as usual from her home to support Metro Therapy throughout the pandemic, and the therapists who provided actual services to clients were able to continue their work after a brief disruption.”