The Department of Justice scored a Democrat fraud hat trick in Georgia: A third politician has been charged with fraudulently obtaining unemployment funds from the government.
Georgia state Rep. Dexter Sharper, a Democrat, was charged Friday by the U.S. Department of Justice with “making false statements to fraudulently obtain thousands” in COVID-related funds after he allegedly claimed unemployment benefits while he kept working.
‘The alleged activities describe a disgusting abuse by an elected official who appeared to trade his integrity for money destined for those in need.’
Sharper applied for the benefits in 2020 that were available as a result of the pandemic, according to a press release from U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg.
He allegedly claimed that he was unemployed and obtained about $13,825 in unemployment while he was actually making up to $2,231 of income per week at one job and up to an additional $275 weekly as a musician. He applied for the benefits and then made fraudulent weekly statements that he wasn’t working in order to receive unemployment payments, prosecutors said.
“While many of his constituents and fellow citizens were losing jobs and desperately needed unemployment assistance during the pandemic, Representative Sharper allegedly pretended to be out of work to collect a share of unemployment benefits for himself,” said Hertzberg. “When government officials lie to take money, and do it while holding an elected office, it violates the trust of citizens and weakens faith in our elected government.”
The first Georgia Democrat nailed for stealing fraudulent unemployment benefits was Karen Bennett, who resigned before pleading guilty on Jan. 21 to federal charges of making fraudulent statements. Prosecutors said she stole $13,940.
A second Democrat, state Rep. Sharon Henderson, was indicted on Dec. 2 for similar accusations related to the alleged theft of $17,811 in pandemic unemployment funds.
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Sharper declined a request for comment from the Georgia Recorder on the advice of counsel, and a spokesperson for the Georgia House Democratic Caucus also declined to comment.
“These charges point to some disgraceful conduct at the highest level, which should shock and repulse every citizen,” said Georgia Inspector General Nigel Lange. “The alleged activities describe a disgusting abuse by an elected official who appeared to trade his integrity for money destined for those in need.”
Sharper’s biography appears to have been scrubbed from the Georgia House of Representatives website, but a version of the page archived at the Wayback Machine said he founded “Sharper Bounce Houses & More” as well as the “Dexter Sharper Fresheners” business. He has four children with his wife, Chequella Shipman Sharper.
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