The former Atlanta deputy city attorney, who was jailed for defrauding the federal government of $15 million in COVID relief loans, also made a donation to the local district attorney.
Shelitha Robertson, 62, donated $1,000 to Fani Willis’ Democratic primary campaign around the time she received the massive payments, obtained after reporting inflated business to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), show the documents presented.
A few years later, the Georgia jurist would accuse former President Donald Trump of racketeering following a 13-count indictment that accused him of trying to illegally overturn the 2020 election.
Trump is one of 19 defendants in the sprawling case, who was detained Wednesday as a result of Robertson’s arrest.
Robertson, also a life advice podcaster, used the small business funds to buy a 10-carat diamond ring, a Rolls Royce and a motorcycle, while Trump, 77, continues to deny any wrongdoing.
Shelitha Robertson, the former Atlanta deputy city attorney imprisoned for defrauding the federal government of $15 million, made a donation to local district attorney Fani Willis shortly after.
Furthermore, the grant was delivered on May 22, 2020, less than two months before the PPP program was frantically implemented.
Around that time, Robertson, who has remained on bail since pleading not guilty to five fraud charges in December 2022, claimed he needed the cash to maintain four businesses he owned.
The request was granted, even though she wrongly claimed she presided over a workforce of more than 400 people, meaning she was entitled to millions in emergency donations.
In reality, she was falsely inflating those figures and monthly payrolls with false supporting tax documentation, the Fed said in its ruling.
There, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan condemned Robertson for her actions, citing her pedigree as a former Atlanta police officer and city attorney.
“Motivated by greed, Robertson deceptively obtained funds intended to provide emergency financial relief to struggling small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said of the scammer, who was also a successful businesswoman.
“Today, the defendant in this case was held accountable for fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars through the Paycheck Protection Program and using those stolen funds to enrich herself while small businesses were struggling,” added Agent Kyle A. Myles. special charge of the Federal Service. Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, Atlanta Region (FDIC OIG).
The filed documents show how the disgraced jurist donated $1,000 to the Democrat’s primary campaign in 2020, around the time she received the massive payments. She obtained them after providing inflated business to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), intended for small businesses.
“The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue and bring to justice those who took advantage of such pandemic relief programs and threatened the integrity of our nation’s financial institutions.” .
He went on to describe how Robertson and his confirmed accomplice, Chandra Norton, submitted fraudulent applications on behalf of four companies that Robertson actually owned, resulting in $7,020,779 in PPP funds deposited into their bank accounts.
Robertson then used the proceeds for his personal benefit, he said, citing purchasing luxury items such as a 10-carat diamond ring and transferring funds to family members and Norton, the feds said.
The Rolls and other items were also purchased, and officials traced three bank transfers made in the month of May 2020 alone.
It amounted to more than five million dollars, a third of the scandalous sum obtained by Robertson and his accomplices.
It’s not yet known whether Willis, the Fulton County prosecutor, will be included in that class when all is said and done, as officials consider the extent of their relationship.
Meanwhile, Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee told the court last week that the case will be put on hold indefinitely until a panel of judges decides whether Willis should be disqualified.
After receiving Robertson’s donation, Willis defeated his also scandal-plagued boss, former District Attorney Paul Howard, following a contentious Democratic primary and runoff in August 2020.
Fragment of the criminal indictment against Shelitha Robertson showing the shell companies that were paid millions of dollars with government funds
Court documents filed in federal court show how millions of dollars were distributed to Robertson’s bloated companies.
As for Robertson, she was sentenced to 849 days in jail on Friday, with 637 days of credit served and 212 days of good time credit.
This amounts to a sentence of about seven years, after which he will also be on probation for 44 months.
She served as a deputy city attorney for the city of Atlanta in the early 2000s, after working as a police officer for more than a decade.
He then completed his law studies and created several successful businesses.
Among them was her and her influencer daughter’s podcast ‘Mommy and Me’, in which the couple talked about ‘overcoming life’s challenges’ and gave advice.
In an October 2023 segment, ironically billed as “integrity over the dollar,” Robertson advised his followers to “chase your dream” because “the money will come.”
‘When you have a passion for something you love, you can do it for free. “Never chase money,” she says in the resurfaced clip.
‘The money will come. Pursue your passion, pursue your dream. The money will come.’
Her daughter, Brii Renee, posted a glowing tribute to her mother just a few weeks ago, long after the fraud allegations came to light and as evidence against her was mounting.
Robertson, who was seen providing financial and life advice on her podcast, was sentenced to 849 days in jail on Friday, with 637 days of credit served and 212 days of good time credit.
Willis’ office has not yet commented on the sentencing or the donation, as her case against Trump remains temporarily dropped while officials examine the relationship between her and Robertson.
Trump is one of 19 defendants in the sprawling case, who was detained Wednesday as a result of Robertson’s arrest.
‘I wouldn’t be who I am today without the amazing mother, example, scammer that you are!’ she wrote at the time, sharing the post with her more than 600,000 Instagram followers.
‘Thank you for every sacrifice you made and every dream you pushed me to achieve!’
A few months earlier, a federal jury convicted Robertson of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering, the same charges she was sentenced for Friday.
There, in the Northern District Court of Georgia, Robertson broke down in tears upon learning that he would spend the next seven years behind bars.
She told the court she was “broke” and her “business disappeared.”
‘My (lawyer’s) license no longer exists. My goods have disappeared.’ She continued. The only thing I have left is my family and my faith in God,” she said.
Robertson will receive credit for the six months he spent in custody since December, which, along with good behavior credits, allowed him to shave 20 months off his sentence.
Willis’ office has not yet commented on the sentencing or the donation, which was first reported Sunday by The New York Post.
Meanwhile, Robertson’s sentencing is already underway.