The erstwhile Assistant City Attorney of Atlanta has been jailed for 7 years aft fraudulently obtaining astir $15 cardinal successful COVID alleviation loans.
Shelitha Robertson, 62, utilized the illegally gained funds to splash retired connected a 10 carat diamond ring, a Rolls Royce and a motorbike.
The erstwhile constabulary serviceman had obtained the wealth under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a national stimulus programme that was acceptable up during the pandemic.
Robertson submitted indebtedness applications connected behalf of 4 businesses that she claimed to ain and control.
But the indebtedness applications were afloat of fake figures that falsely inflated the fig of employees and mean monthly payroll for each of the 4 businesses.
Shelitha Robertson, the erstwhile Assistant City Attorney of Atlanta, was sentenced to 7 years successful situation for fraudulently obtaining astir $15 cardinal successful COVID alleviation loans
Robertson utilized immoderate of the wealth to acquisition luxury items. She is pictured present successful a 2015 photograph with a Chanel bracelet connected her wrist
Court documents amusement that Robertson was liable for providing the payroll of 427 employees, erstwhile successful information determination were none.
It meant Robertson was fraudulently capable to get tremendous PPP loans that would different person not been the case.
The wealth was of course intended for morganatic businesses who needed it to past the pandemic.
Robertson and her co-conspirator, Chandra Norton, had nary specified qualms astir the maltreatment of specified a strategy and went connected to taxable mendacious taxation documents to enactment the inflated statements wrong each indebtedness application.
Robertson utilized the indebtedness proceeds to acquisition luxury items, including a 10-carat diamond ringing that would person been worthy astatine slightest $150,000 unneurotic with luxury vehicles including the Rolls.
The DOJ besides said she transferred funds to a co-conspirator, Chandra Norton, and different household members.
A assemblage convicted Robertson of conspiracy to perpetrate ligament fraud and wealth laundering with the justice sentencing her to 7 years and 3 months successful prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Robertson volition beryllium astir 70 by the clip she's released from prison, leaving down her influencer girl Brii Renee, who boasts implicit 600,000 Instagram followers.
It's rather the autumn from grace for Robertson who was Atlanta's Assistant City Attorney and had been a metropolis bull too
The wealth was intended for morganatic businesses who needed it to past the pandemic
The 2 co-host a podcast unneurotic titled 'Mommy and Me' successful which they sermon 'navigating life's challenges', according to an Apple Podcasts preview.
'I'm dormant broke,' Robertson said successful tribunal earlier her sentencing.
'My concern is gone. My (law) licence is gone. My assets are gone. The lone happening I person near is my household and my religion successful God.'
She said she was profoundly atrocious for the interaction her behaviour has had connected her family, woman and community.
'I'm not that idiosyncratic that tries to instrumentality vantage of anybody oregon immoderate situation,' she said. 'I've owned up to what I've done.'
U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg said the nonaccomplishment of the $14 cardinal successful funds was staggering.
'It was her level of absorption and assurance successful being capable to perpetrate this level of fraud without being detected that instigated it successful the archetypal place,' Grimberg said successful court.
Robertson volition beryllium astir 70 by the clip she's released from prison, leaving down her influencer girl Brii Renee, who boasts implicit 600,000 Instagram followers, seen here
As portion of her spending, the 62-year-old splashed retired connected a Rolls Royce car
Robertson utilized the indebtedness proceeds to acquisition luxury items, including a 10-carat diamond ring
'Motivated by greed, Robertson deceptively obtained funds that were designated to supply exigency fiscal alleviation to struggling tiny businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic,' said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. '
'It was her level of absorption and assurance successful being capable to perpetrate this level of fraud without being detected that instigated it successful the archetypal place,' Grimberg said successful court.
'Motivated by greed, Robertson deceptively obtained funds that were designated to supply exigency fiscal alleviation to struggling tiny businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic,' said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. '
'Today the suspect successful this lawsuit was held accountable for fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars done the Paycheck Protection Program and utilizing those stolen funds to enrich herself, portion tiny businesses were struggling during the pandemic,' added Kyle Myles, Special Agent successful Charge of the FDIC.
'The FDIC Office Inspector General remains committed to moving with our instrumentality enforcement partners to prosecute and bring to justness those who took vantage of specified pandemic alleviation programs and threatened the integrity of our Nation's fiscal institutions.'
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