Fani Willis obtained donation from ex metropolis lawyer convicted of PPP fraud
A former Atlanta metropolis lawyer who was sentenced to seven years in jail over a large $15 million pandemic mortgage fraud donated to Trump prosecutor Fani Willis’s marketing campaign after making use of for the federal government handouts, data present.
Shelitha Robertson, 62, used a few of her ill-gotten windfall for lavish purchases — together with a large 10-carat diamond ring and a Rolls Royce, in accordance with federal prosecutors.
However, she additionally donated $1,000 to Willis’s Democratic major election marketing campaign across the time she obtained the huge payouts from the Paycheck Safety Program, Georgia marketing campaign filings present.
Final yr, Willis charged former President Donald Trump with racketeering following a 13-count indictment accusing him of attempting to illegally overturn the outcomes of the 2020 election ends in Georgia. Trump is certainly one of 19 individuals indicted within the sprawling case.
He has pleaded not responsible and denies all wrongdoing.
This isn’t the primary scandal to hit Willis since she launched the high-profile prosecution in opposition to Trump. The case is presently in authorized limbo after Trump and different defendants sought to have Willis eliminated over her affair with Nathan Wade — one other prosecutor.
A choose dominated that the connection didn’t current a enough battle of curiosity to kick Willis off the case, however final week the Georgia Court docket of Appeals delayed the trial for months after it stated it might assessment the judges resolution in October.
Robertson, a Democrat who ran unsuccessfully to be a Circuit Court docket choose in Fulton County in 2010 and 2014, donated to Willis in Could 2020.
Willis went on to defeat her scandal-hit boss — longtime district lawyer Paul Howard within the Democratic major after a runoff in August 2020.
A spokesman for Willis didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Sunday.
In April and Could 2020, Robertson — a former Atlanta assistant metropolis lawyer and an ex-cop in Georgia’s largest metropolis — fraudulently utilized for thousands and thousands of {dollars} in authorities loans for 4 companies she owned, prosecutors stated.
“The mortgage functions falsely inflated the variety of workers and common month-to-month payroll for every of the 4 companies, leading to bigger PPP loans than Robertson can be legitimately entitled to acquire,” the Division of Justice stated.
She additionally filed pretend tax paperwork to assist the mortgage functions, prosecutors stated.
Robertson used the fraudulent cash to purchase a 10-carat diamond ring and a Rolls Royce, the Atlanta Journal-Structure reported.
She additionally transferred a few of the cash to different kin and her co-conspirator Chandra Norton, additionally a disbarred lawyer.
A jury convicted Robertson of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and cash laundering on Dec. 19, 2023.
She was sentenced Friday to seven years and three months in jail, adopted by three years of supervised launch.
Robertson broke down in tears upon listening to her sentencing Friday, hours after telling the courtroom she was “lifeless broke,” in accordance with the AJC.
“My enterprise is gone. My (legislation) license is gone. My belongings are gone. The one factor I’ve left is my household and my religion in God,” she stated.
Robertson will get credit score for the six months she’s spent in custody since December.
