Tuesday saw the conviction of an Atlanta lawyer who used COVID relief funds that she had allegedly gotten fraudulently to buy a Rolls-Royce and other ostentatious items.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the convicted woman, Shelitha Robertson, previously worked as a lawyer and police officer for the city. Authorities claim that following her false application for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), she obtained almost $7 million from the federal government.
A jury convicted Robertson guilty on three charges of wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. This resulted in Robertson’s conviction. After Tuesday’s verdict, Robertson—who had been out on bond since her not-guilty plea at her 2022 indictment—was hauled into custody.
Robertson used the money she got to buy a motorcycle, a $148,000 10-carat diamond ring, and other items in addition to the Rolls-Royce. Prosecutors further claimed that Robertson took out $25,000 in cash and transferred $50,000 of the PPP funds to her daughter.
Robertson was charged with inflating the number of employees in each of her four companies while submitting her loan application for the PPP. During the 2020 COVID-19 epidemic, the federal government launched the Paycheck Protection Program to give small companies affected by the crisis financial support.
Robertson, however, asserted that she had not exaggerated the number of workers in her businesses and charged Chandra Norton, her former closest friend and personal lawyer, of using dishonest methods to apply for the PPP loans. In another case, Norton, who was charged in 2020, pleaded guilty.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Norton accepted a plea deal that required him to collaborate with the federal authorities in order to establish evidence against Robertson. Norton pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to conduct wire fraud. However, according to federal prosecutor Ariel Glasner, Robertson allegedly endangered the lives of Norton and another person after being arrested. However, Robertson’s attorney refuted that claim.
Prosecutors said that Robertson and Norton had planned to apply for PPP loans falsely before they were found guilty, and that Robertson had already transferred Norton $400,000 from the PPP financing.
The PPP loans were allegedly granted to Robertson’s businesses, Atlanta Custom Motors, MO Griggs Contracting, Tritan, and The Renee Group, according to authorities. However, according to authorities, The Renee Group, which employed thirteen people, was the only business that was open at the time.
According to the prosecution, 427 people were employed by Robertson’s firms at the time the PPP applications were submitted. The Renee Group spent $762,674 on payroll in 2019, despite the fact that the monthly payroll expenses were also reported at $2.8 million. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, prosecutors said that the latter sum was only a portion of Robertson’s claim.
Robertson will remain detained until her sentencing on April 11.