Former Georgia lawmaker avoids jail in pandemic fraud case
Dexter Sharper (Georgia House of Representatives)
ATLANTA - Former Georgia state Rep. Dexter Sharper will not serve additional jail time after pleading guilty to federal fraud charges involving pandemic unemployment benefits.
ORIGINAL STORY: Georgia lawmaker Dexter Sharper charged in pandemic unemployment fraud case
What we know:
A federal judge sentenced the Valdosta Democrat to time served and ordered him to pay more than $10,000 in restitution, along with a $2,000 fine.
Pandemic unemployment claims
The backstory:
Prosecutors said Sharper falsely claimed he was unemployed while collecting $13,825 in emergency benefits intended for people who lost work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court records, Sharper submitted 38 weekly certifications between April 2020 and May 2021 stating that he was not working and was actively seeking employment.
Federal investigators said Sharper was earning money during that period through his position in the Georgia General Assembly, a party rental business and work as a musician.
Sharper, 54, previously represented the Valdosta area in the Georgia House.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Georgia Office of the State Inspector General.