ATLANTA — Two former and one current Fulton County deputies were convicted in a $6 million wire fraud scheme that involved stealing COVID-19 relief funds, according to a release from the United States District Attorney’s Office.
One Former Fulton County Deputy was also identified as the "mastermind" behind the scheme, the release said.
Investigators uncovered Katrina Lawson's scheme after her friend’s (and distant relative’s) Fayetteville home was searched Aug. 11, 2020, as part of an ongoing drug investigation.
Her friend and relative, Alicia Quaterman, was found to have evidence linking Lawson to the wire fraud scheme. A phone and notebook owned by Quarterman outlined a scheme that utilized the “vulnerabilities” in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL).
Lawson and Quarterman recruited 200 people to use their personal information to apply for the PPP and EIDL loans under the false pretenses that the money was being used to help small businesses.
Three of those were either current or former Fulton County deputies, the release said.
In addition to those mentioned above, a former U.S. Army military policeman and former Arlington County Deputy were also convicted in the case.
Investigators found that Lawson used some of the stolen money to purchase over $97,000 worth of items. Some of the items were a Mercedes Benz, a Kawasaki motorcycle and liposuction.
Lawson’s co-defendants were previously convicted on several charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and theft of government funds, mail fraud, money laundering or similar offenses, the release said.
Here are those convicted:
- Alicia Quarterman, 40, of Fayetteville, Georgia
- Tranesha Quarterman, 35, of Atlanta, Georgia, a former U.S. Army military policeman
- Nikia Wakefield, 44, of Rockville, Maryland
- Darryl Washington, 68, of Atlanta, Georgia
- Adarin Jones, a/k/a Adrian Jones, 44, of Atlanta, Georgia;
- Katie Quarterman, 30, of Atlanta, Georgia
- Victor Montgomery, 45, of Washington, D.C.
- India Middleton, 36, of Accokeek, Maryland, a former Arlington County Sheriff’s Office deputy
- Jeffrey Moffett, 54, of Jonesboro, Georgia, a former Fulton County Sheriff’s Office deputy
- Stephanie R. Cooper, 50, of Decatur, Georgia, a current Fulton County Sheriff’s Office deputy
Lawson will be sentenced July 6, 2023, according to the release.