(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Shelitha Robertson, a former city prosecutor and failed Fulton County judicial candidate, has been convicted of fraudulently obtaining $7 million in taxpayer funds through the infamous Paycheck Protection Program, the DOJ announced on Wednesday.
Federal prosecutors accused Robertson of using the hefty sum to fund her lavish lifestyle, which notably included the purchase of a Rolls-Royce luxury vehicle, a motorcycle and a $148,000 diamond ring.
Robertson unsuccessfully ran for judge in the Fulton County Judicial Circuit and previously campaigned as a Democrat for the Georgia House of Representatives.
Atlanta attorney found guilty in $7M PPP loan fraud case. Shelitha Robertson used the funds to buy a Rolls-Royce, a motorcycle, and a 10-carat diamond ring for $148,000. pic.twitter.com/vate9XepsB
— Black Millionaires ® (@Blackmillions_) December 20, 2023
“According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Shelitha Robertson, 62, of Atlanta, conspired to submit PPP loan applications on behalf of four businesses she owned,” the DOJ said in a statement.
Federal prosecutors said that Robertson’s loan applications falsely inflated the total number of employees and the monthly payroll rate for her business in an illegal bid to increase her PPP eligibility. The attorney, previously employed as a city police officer and attorney, also facilitated the submission of falsified tax documents to back her falsehood-laden PPP applications.
Scheduled for sentencing on April 11, 2024, Robertson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. She also faces a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for money laundering, according to federal prosecutors.
Atlanta — A federal jury in Georgia has convicted an attorney and former Atlanta police officer of fraudulently obtaining over $7 million in PPP loans. Shelitha Robertson, a Democrat, once ran for office to become a superior court judge. https://t.co/f4qHiDHha5 pic.twitter.com/yBtWjCUoLV
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) December 21, 2023
“Robertson is the second defendant to be convicted as part of the Justice Department’s prosecution of an approximately $15 million PPP fraud conspiracy,” prosecutors added.
The prosecution followed the launch of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to uncover potential fraud allegations linked the federal government’s pandemic-related relief programs.
Robertson previously denied all accusations, shifting blame for her former personal attorney, Chandra Norton, who pleaded guilty on a separate charge, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Upon her arrest, Robertson allegedly threatened to kill Norton and issued a separate threat to an individual who filed a police report.
Robertson was found guilty by a jury of seven men and five women, according to the news outlet.
Woman Convicted of $7M COVID-19 Relief Fraudhttps://t.co/XU83LrobjZ pic.twitter.com/O2i8WciBNC
— Criminal Division (@DOJCrimDiv) December 20, 2023
