Lawmaker quits days before fraud charges as $14K COVID relief scheme exposed

A second Georgia House Democrat is accused of unemployment fraud

by Ross Williams, Georgia Recorder
January 5, 2026

A Democratic state lawmaker resigned her seat days before she was charged with fraudulently receiving nearly $14,000 in unemployment benefits intended for people who lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Former Rep. Karen Bennett of Stone Mountain became the second Georgia House Democrat accused of illegally exploiting the program after Covington Rep.