ATL Standard

Shelitha Robertson, a former Atlanta police officer turned attorney, has been convicted for fraudulently obtaining $7 million through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The charges were levied after she was found to have used false information on loan applications to purchase luxury items, including a 10-carat diamond ring and a Rolls-Royce.

According to a press release by the Department of Justice, Robertson, who owns four businesses, was convicted on multiple counts including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. She manipulated employee numbers and payroll information on PPP loan applications to secure larger loans than warranted. Robertson now faces a potential maximum sentence of 20 years for wire fraud and 10 years for money laundering. She is scheduled to face sentencing in April 2024 by a federal district court judge. Robertson is the second convicted defendant in a $15 million PPP fraud case pursued by the Justice Department, following her co-conspirator's earlier guilty plea.

The same press release reveals that officials including Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan, and multiple Inspector Generals announced the case. Investigations involved the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Acting Inspector General Tyler Smith of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The prosecution was handled by Trial Attorney Ariel Glasner and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bernita Malloy. Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section within the Criminal Division has prosecuted over 200 defendants in 130 cases, seizing $78 million linked to fraudulent PPP funds and related assets. The Attorney General's COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, established in May 2021, collaborates across agencies to intensify investigations, prosecute culprits, and enhance relief program oversight.

A Newsweek report adds that Robertson, previously an assistant city attorney and police officer in Atlanta, ran unsuccessfully as a Democratic candidate in a 2015 Georgia House of Representatives election and pursued a judge seat in the Fulton County Superior Court.