Expand / Collapse search
☰

Hampton woman accused of using federal jobs to steal pandemic relief funds

By
Published  January 13, 2026 12:56pm EST
Atlanta
FOX 5 Atlanta

The Brief

    • Attallah Williams is accused of using her roles at the SBA and IRS to bypass security checks and approve $3.5 million in fraudulent COVID-19 relief.
    • The suspect allegedly used Instagram to recruit "accomplices" who submitted fake business applications for a share of the stolen funds.
    • Williams faces federal charges for conspiracy to defraud the government following a multi-year investigation.

ATLANTA - A Henry County woman has been charged with stealing millions in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds through an elaborate insider fraud scheme.

What we know:

Attallah Williams, 32, of Hampton, was arrested and arraigned in federal court on charges of defrauding the government. Prosecutors allege she orchestrated a three-year scheme to steal $3.5 million by obtaining employment at both the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Internal Revenue Service to approve fraudulent applications in exchange for bribes.

The backstory:

According to the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, Williams targeted four separate pandemic relief programs.

Williams initially submitted fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans using the names of non-operational businesses.

Williams later obtained a position as a loan officer with the SBA. She allegedly used her credentials to approve EIDL Advance grants for accomplices she recruited on Instagram. In exchange for her approval of ineligible businesses, she took a share of the proceeds.

After leaving the SBA, Williams became a tax examining technician at the IRS. Prosecutors say she used social media to recruit more participants, assisting them in filing fraudulent documents for the Employee Retention Tax Credit in exchange for kickback fees.

What we don't know:

What's next:

The case is being investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the SBA Office of Inspector General.

The Source: Information in this article came from a release sent to FOX 5 by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. 

AtlantaNewsCrime and Public Safety