Georgia

Former Georgia lawmaker pleads guilty to lying to collect pandemic unemployment benefits

Published

5 months ago

January 21, 2026

Former Georgia lawmaker pleads guilty to lying to collect pandemic unemployment benefits

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.”

Georgia Rep. Karen Bennett, D-Stone Mountain, right, files for reelection, Monday, March 3, 2014, in Atlanta. Qualifying is underway for Georgia’s May 20 primary, with Republicans and Democrats filing their paperwork to appear on the ballot.

David Goldman / AP

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.

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Georgia

Georgia pair charged with murder after bartender’s dismembered remains found in lake outside Atlanta

Published

6 hours ago

June 21, 2026

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Georgia pair charged with murder after bartender’s dismembered remains found in lake outside Atlanta

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A Georgia pair have been charged with murder after allegedly slaughtering a bartender and dumping his dismembered remains in a lake, according to authorities.

Mario Andre Barber, 46, and Brittany Amber Baker, 42, were arrested on Monday for allegedly murdering Jamal Rashad Parker, 37, in a home outside of Atlanta, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.

Investigators discovered Parker’s remains in May in the Dog River Reservoir, located about 30 miles outside Atlanta.

Parker’s identity was confirmed using DNA comparison technology after his father contacted authorities to report that the victim’s tattoos matched his son’s ink, local station WSB-TV reported.

MINNESOTA MAN ACCUSED OF DISMEMBERING GIRLFRIENDS, HIDING BODIES IN STORAGE UNITS ENTERS PLEA

Mario Andre Barber, 46, and Brittany Amber Baker, 42, are charged with murder. (Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)

Investigators believe the two suspects killed Parker inside a home in Douglasville where Baker lived.

Late last month, investigators were observed leaving the home with a reciprocating saw and cleaning supplies, according to WSB-TV.

Police have not disclosed if Parker knew his alleged killers. However, a GoFundMe created by a family member described the pair as “people he knew and trusted.”

SUZANNE SIMPSON’S DNA FOUND ON MURDER SUSPECT HUSBAND’S SAW THAT CAN CUT METAL

A family member described Jamal Rashad Parker as a bartender, musician and artist with “a beautiful soul and spirit.” (GoFundMe)

The suspects pleaded not guilty in court on Tuesday and are being held without bond. Both have lengthy criminal records, according to reports.

“I want them to be punished. And I don’t even think a life sentence is good enough,” Parker’s dad, Charles Parker, told WSB-TV outside the courthouse.

“It’s the kind of stuff you see on TV, but I mean … they had no remorse,” he added.

In addition to bartending at Ms. Icey’s Kitchen & Bar in Atlanta, the victim was a musician and artist with “a beautiful soul and spirit,” according to the GoFundMe page created to cover burial costs.

Investigators believe the two suspects killed the victim inside a home in Douglasville. (Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)

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“He loved life and the people he met along his journey in life. He was a musical artist, visual artist, and a professional bartender who enjoyed creating new drinks. This has totally devastated our family and friends and has left us heartbroken,” the fundraiser reads.

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Georgia

Georgia football trying to flip Grayson CB recruit

Published

16 hours ago

June 21, 2026

Press Room

Georgia football trying to flip Grayson CB recruit

The Georgia Bulldogs are trying to flip cornerback recruit Preston Glasco just over a week after he committed to the Connecticut Huskies.

Glasco, a member of the class of 2027, announced his commitment to UConn on June 10. Since committing to UCONN, Georgia has hosted Glasco on an official visit and offered him a scholarship (back on June 18).

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound cornerback has excellent length and size. Glasco has impressive athleticism and ran a 4.47-4.57 second 40-yard dash (hand timed) during a recent workout with the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Glasco plays high school football for Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia. He’s unranked as a recruit, but that’s bound to change soon. The unranked cornerback plays against a stout level of competition at Grayson, who is a Georgia high school powerhouse.

Glasco has scholarship offers from Army, Yale, Boston College, Penn and more. He’s a great student and appears to be healthy after he was recovering from a surgery around this time last year. The talented Grayson cornerback has also gone on recent visits to South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

Coach Kirby Smart and Georgia currently don’t have any cornerback commitments in the class of 2027.

Georgia football offers Preston Glasco

“Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Georgia,” Glasco said after Georgia offered him.

Glasco visits UGA football

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Georgia

Georgia Lottery Powerball, Cash 3 results for June 20, 2026

Published

1 day ago

June 21, 2026

Press Room

The Georgia Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at June 20, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from June 20 drawing

16-20-44-48-50, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 20 drawing

Midday: 0-9-2

Evening: 9-6-9

Night: 2-4-6

Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 20 drawing

Midday: 0-1-2-5

Evening: 1-8-1-5

Night: 5-4-6-0

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 20 drawing

Early Bird: 06

Matinee: 03

Drive Time: 09

Primetime: 06

Night Owl: 02

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Georgia FIVE numbers from June 20 drawing

Midday: 4-0-5-8-9

Evening: 3-3-9-2-2

Check Georgia FIVE payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from June 20 drawing

01-09-10-15-42

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 20 drawing

01-10-16-30-31, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes under $601: Can be claimed at any Georgia Lottery retail location. ALL PRIZES can be claimed by mail to: Georgia Lottery Corporation, P.O. Box 56966, Atlanta, GA 30343.
Prizes over $600: Must be claimed at Georgia Lottery Headquarters or any Georgia Lottery district office or mailed to the Georgia Lottery for payment.

When are the Georgia Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Cash 3 (Midday): 12:29 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 3 (Evening): 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 3 (Night): 11:34 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 4 (Midday): 12:29 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 4 (Evening): 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 4 (Night): 11:34 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Early Bird): 8 a.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Matinee): 1 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Drive Time): 5 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Primetime): 8 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Night Owl): 11:59 p.m. ET daily.
Georgia FIVE (Midday): 12:29 p.m. ET daily.
Georgia FIVE (Evening): 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
Fantasy 5: 11:34 p.m. ET daily.
Jumbo Bucks Lotto: 11 p.m. ET on Monday and Thursday.
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. ET daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Georgia editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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