A former Georgia House member has pleaded guilty to lying to collect federal unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Karen Bennett’s guilty plea to one count of making false statements to collect $13,940 had been expected after she waived her indictment on Jan. 5. 

Bennett, 70, had resigned from the House in the days before she was charged.

“Serving in this capacity has truly been a labor of love, and one I will deeply miss,” she wrote in her resignation letter.

Prosecutors said Bennett, a physical therapist, lied in 2020 when she stated she was being prevented by quarantine from working for Metro Therapy Providers, a company Bennett owned. Prosecutors said that in reality, Bennett’s role with the company was administrative and she worked from a home office, instead of providing therapy to clients. They also allege that Metro Therapy continued operating and generating income after a brief disruption.

In addition, prosecutors say Bennett failed to disclose that she was also receiving $905 in week pay from a church. Bennett has been a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

“Bennett was elected to represent her fellow citizens and took a solemn oath to promote the best interests and prosperity of the state of Georgia,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said. “Instead, she violated that oath and, during an unprecedented emergency, lied to line her own pockets with taxpayer money intended to help community members in need.”

Following her guilty plea, the former lawmaker’s attorneys asked for her to be sentenced, but U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross declined, setting sentencing for April 15. Bennett’s lawyers said she will pay back the $13,490 but said prosecutors have agreed to seek no prison time or supervised release.

Bennett, 70, was first elected in 2012. Gov. Brian Kemp has called a March 10 special election to replace her in House District 94, which includes parts of DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. If no candidate wins a majority, a runoff would follow April 7. The current legislative session is scheduled to end April 2.

She’s the second Democratic House member to be charged with lying to obtain federal unemployment assistance during the pandemic. Georgia State Representative Sharon Henderson is also facing federal charges after investigators say she illegally collected nearly $18,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits while serving as an elected official. 

Investigators say Henderson falsely reported in her application that she worked for the school system throughout 2019 and as recently as March 10, 2020, and that her workplace had shut down because of the COVID-19 public health emergency. She then allegedly filed weekly certifications claiming she could not report to work due to COVID-19 quarantine restrictions. 

Henderson remains in office. A review commission is supposed to recommend to Kemp on Thursday whether Henderson should be suspended from office pending trial.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Indiana transfer quarterback Alberto Mendoza announced Tuesday that he has signed with Georgia Tech.

Mendoza, the younger brother of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, entered the NCAA transfer portal one day after the Hoosiers’ College Football Playoff championship victory over Miami and immediately visited and signed with the Yellow Jackets.

The 6-foot-2, 207-pound redshirt freshman threw for 286 yards on 75% passing, rushed for 190 yards and scored six total touchdowns with one interception in nine appearances this season. He’ll have three more years of eligibility at Georgia Tech.

Mendoza joins a Yellow Jackets program that must replace senior Haynes King, a 36-game starter and first-team All-ACC performer who accounted for 10,181 total yards and 91 touchdowns over his three seasons in Atlanta.

The younger Mendoza’s departure from Indiana at the end of the season was expected after the Hoosiers signed TCU transfer quarterback Josh Hoover, ESPN’s No. 6-ranked transfer quarterback, earlier this month.

Georgia Tech was still in the market for a starter after King’s top backup, Aaron Philo, opted to transfer to Florida. Mendoza will compete with redshirt sophomore Graham Knowles, redshirt freshman Grady Adamson and incoming freshman Cole Bergeron this offseason.

Indiana and Miami players have a Jan. 24 deadline to enter their names in the transfer portal now that their season has concluded with the Hoosiers’ 27-21 victory in the CFP title game Monday.

Alberto Mendoza did not appear in the season finale but did play 102 snaps on the year primarily in blowout wins during the Hoosiers’ 16-0 run, including nine snaps in the 38-3 victory over Alabama in the CFP quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl.