From CBS News: Georgia State Representative Sharon Henderson is facing federal charges after investigators say she illegally collected nearly $18,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits while serving as an elected official.
According to prosecutors, Henderson began applying for the benefits in June 2020, when she was still a candidate for the Georgia House. Investigators say she claimed she was working as a substitute teacher for Henry County Schools, even though she had not worked for the district since 2018.
Henderson was arrested Monday morning.
Henderson, 67, is a Democrat and has served in the Georgia State House of Representatives since January 2021.
In a press release on Monday, the Justice Department shared details of Henderson’s fraud scheme:
In June 2020, while a candidate for a Georgia House seat, Henderson allegedly applied for federal pandemic unemployment benefits claiming that her current employer was Henry County Schools. Although Henderson had worked as a substitute teacher for Henry County Schools for five days in 2018 (almost two years prior), she had not worked for Henry County Schools since then.
Additionally, the Substitute Teacher Agreement Henderson signed in 2018 included an acknowledgment that substitute teachers are not eligible to draw unemployment wages. Nevertheless, Henderson allegedly stated in the application that she had worked for the school system throughout 2019 and as recently as March 10, 2020; that she had paystubs as evidence of that employment in 2019; and that her place of employment was closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
She then allegedly submitted weekly certifications stating that she was unable to reach her place of employment because of a COVID-19 quarantine. She allegedly submitted eight of those certifications in June 2021, after she was sworn in and serving as the state representative for District 113, which covers western Newton County and part of Covington, Georgia.
Henderson allegedly collected $17,811 of pandemic unemployment benefits to which she was not entitled as a result of false statements in her application and weekly certifications.
Sharon Henderson, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, was arrested today and should appear in court this afternoon after a federal grand jury charged her with two counts of theft of government funds and ten counts of making false statements.https://t.co/otsHLsPkUt pic.twitter.com/nhU3ATCkly
— US Attorney NDGA (@NDGAnews) December 8, 2025
#Georgia state rep. Sharon Henderson indicted for unemployment fraud and false statements https://t.co/Yw0kP8f9jb https://t.co/PTbIzzqLc6
— Gov Crimes (@FitnessFarmDC) December 9, 2025
READ MORE from CBS News.
Georgia State Representative Sharon Henderson is facing federal charges after investigators say she illegally collected nearly $18,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits while serving as an elected official.
— CBS Atlanta (@cbsnewsatl) December 8, 2025
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