Augusta, GA
Augusta woman sentenced in defrauding pandemic relief program
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A Richmond County woman has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for defrauding a COVID-19 small business relief program.
Kameka Bausley, 43, of Augusta, was sentenced to 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also ordered Bausley to pay $71,933 in restitution and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Congress provided more than $600 billion in funding to help small businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Unfortunately, that level of funding also attracted scam artists. With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to hold accountable those who illegally profit from safety net programs.”
As described in court documents and at sentencing, Bausley, was a U.S. Postal Service employee collecting workers’ compensation benefits when she defrauded the Small Business Administration by using fabricated revenue and expense information about her catering business to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection Program funding, ultimately receiving deposits totaling $71,933 through the two Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Programs.
“This sentencing underlines our dedication to holding people accountable who exploit federal relief programs for personal gain,” said Jonathan Ulrich, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG). “As proven in this case, our criminal investigators and the legal teams at the U.S. Attorney’s Office will diligently pursue anyone who attempts to commit COVID-19 fraud and exploit programs created to help legitimate people and businesses affected by the global pandemic.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney George J.C. Jacobs III.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The 2025-2026 Peach Belt Conference brackets are set, and there is plenty of shakeup this year.
Starting with the women’s bracket, Augusta University secured the #4 overall seed and will face #5 seed Middle Georgia in round one.
USCA’s women’s team did not fair as well, finishing in last place of this season’s standings.
On the men’s side, USCA’s men’s team secured the eighth and final spot in the conference tournament.
In a shocking turn of events, AU’s men’s team did not qualify for the tournament.
This marks the first time the program has missed the PBC tournament since Dip Metress took over the program in 2004.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, Ga. – Augusta managed just five hits and one run and fell to Georgia Southwestern 12-1 Sunday as the Hurricanes win two of the three games of the series. The Jaguars are now 7-2 in Peach Belt Conference play and 11-8 overall. The Canes improve to 7-2 in conference play and 12-7 overall.
Georgia Southwestern scored runs in all but one inning including four runs in the first two innings and plated five runs in the fifth, highlighted by a grand slam.
The only Augusta run would come in the fourth inning. Landon Leonard would reach on an error and would come around when Kent Moon reached on a fielder’s choice that would plate Leonard.
Leonard, Moon, Davis Newman, Harris Bachelder and Jakob Cowart would collect the hits for the Jaguars.
Augusta will next be in action on Friday when the open up a three game series with Lander at Jaguar Field. First pitch on Friday is set for 6:00 p.m.
Fans of Jaguar Athletics can subscribe to the email listserve by clicking here. Fans can follow Augusta University at www.augustajags.com and receive short updates on Facebook at Augusta University Athletics and on Twitter at @AugustaJags.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Local protestors made their voices heard after Israel and the U.S. announced strikes on Iran Saturday, ones that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reports say.
Protesters lined 13th Street in Downtown Augusta and walked across the river to North Augusta to make sure as many people as possible heard them.
50501 CSRA already had a march planned for Saturday, but in light of the strikes on Iran, decided to expand its focus.
Local leaders spoke about their concerns for the strikes, and roughly 60 people showed up to share theirs as well.
One of the event organizers said to make your voice heard your voice heard.
“Just call your people, call your representatives, if you don’t like that Iran was bombed, I don’t either. But call people and let them know, email them. Let it be relentless. Congress did not approve this. They have a say in this,” Zee Cook said.
The strike is being called “Operation Epic Fury,” with Iran responding with multiple missile and drone strikes across the Middle East.
In a social media post, President Trump said the bombing of the country will continue “as long as necessary.”
People across the world began lining the streets as well in support and against the decision.
Leaders across the world reacted to the news, including those in Georgia and South Carolina.
There’s a protest planned in Charleston and other regional cities this week.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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