Atlanta, GA. — Dexter L. Sharper, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, has been charged with making false statements to fraudulently obtain emergency pandemic unemployment assistance benefits, federal prosecutors announced Friday.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, Sharper, 54, of Valdosta, allegedly collected $13,825 in unemployment benefits between April 2020 and May 2021 while continuing to earn income from multiple jobs.
Prosecutors say Sharper, who represents District 177, initially applied for unemployment assistance in 2020, claiming that his business, Dexter Sharper Party Rental, had ceased operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In his application and 38 weekly certifications, he allegedly stated that he was not working, not earning wages, and was actively seeking employment.
Federal authorities allege those statements were false. During the same period, Sharper reportedly received at least $325 per week for his service in the Georgia General Assembly. His party rental business was allegedly generating up to $2,231 per week, and he also earned as much as $275 weekly as a musician.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said the alleged conduct violated the public trust, particularly during a time when many constituents were struggling financially.
“These charges point to some disgraceful conduct at the highest level,” said Georgia State Inspector General Nigel Lange, whose office assisted in the investigation.
Sharper was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard on charges of making false statements to obtain funds administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. The case will proceed through the federal court system, and Sharper is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Sharper is the third Georgia state lawmaker charged in connection with pandemic unemployment assistance fraud.
Karen L. Bennett, who represented District 94 until resigning Jan. 1, 2026, pleaded guilty earlier this month to making false statements tied to $13,940 in benefits.
Sharon Henderson, who represents District 113, was indicted in December 2025 on charges of theft of government funds and making false statements involving $17,811 in unemployment payments.
The investigation was conducted by the Georgia Office of the State Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office.
The charges stem from pandemic relief programs established by Congress in 2020 to provide financial assistance to workers who lost jobs due to COVID-19-related shutdowns. Federal officials continue to pursue cases involving alleged fraud tied to those programs.
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