A former Atlanta police officer and attorney, Shelitha Robertson, has been found guilty by a federal jury in Georgia's Northern District for fraudulently obtaining over $7 million in loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Robertson, 62, was convicted on several counts of fraud, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
The trial revealed that Robertson had submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications for four businesses she owned. The applications were found to have inflated the number of employees and average monthly payroll, leading to larger loans than she was legitimately entitled to.
Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, stated that Robertson and an unnamed co-conspirator also submitted fraudulent tax documents to support their claims. These false statements were instrumental in obtaining the PPP loans, which Robertson later used to fund a luxurious lifestyle. This included the purchase of a Rolls-Royce, a 10-carat diamond ring worth $148,000, and significant money transfers to her relatives and accomplice.
Robertson was convicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering. Each count of wire fraud and conspiracy carries a potential 20-year prison sentence, and the money laundering count could result in up to 10 years. Robertson's sentencing is scheduled for April 11, 2024.
Robertson's case is part of a larger $15 million PPP fraud conspiracy, with her co-conspirator already pleading guilty. Newsweek reported that Robertson previously served as an assistant city attorney and a police officer for the City of Atlanta. She also ran unsuccessfully as a Democratic candidate in a 2015 election for a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives and for a judge seat on the Fulton County Superior Court.
Prosecutors alleged that Robertson conspired with her best friend and personal attorney, Chandra Norton, to maximize the PPP loans they could obtain for their businesses. They claimed that Robertson transferred $400,000 of the funds she received to Norton and $50,000 to her daughter, who has not been charged.
Robertson's defense attorney, Craig A. Gillen, argued that Norton, who he described as "financially desperate" and an "evil genius," used Robertson's personal and business information for her own enrichment. However, prosecutor Bernita Malloy countered that Norton had submitted false loan applications at Robertson's direction, calling Robertson's defense "absolutely ludicrous."
Federal prosecutor Ariel Glaser added that Robertson had threatened to kill Norton upon her arrest and had separately threatened another individual who had filed a police report. Gillen responded that these comments were made out of frustration.
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