Georgia lawmaker Sharon Henderson pleads guilty to pandemic unemployment fraud

Sharon Henderson, a former member of the Georgia General Assembly, entered a guilty plea in federal court for submitting fraudulent unemployment claims tied to the 2020 pandemic, collecting $17,811. While campaigning and later serving as a representative, she misrepresented her employment status with Henry County Schools, despite a prior acknowledgment that substitute teaching did not qualify for benefits. U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg and FBI Atlanta special agent Marlo Graham emphasized that such misconduct erodes confidence in public institutions.

Governor Brian Kemp had already suspended her, leaving her seat vacant during the 2026 legislative session. Henderson joins two other Georgia Democrats who earlier pleaded guilty to related fraud. She is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 3, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford handling prosecution.