ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A former federal employee and two other women have pleaded guilty in COVID-19 pandemic fraud cases, according to prosecutors.

Rena Barrett, a former Small Business Administration (SBA) loan officer, pleaded guilty on Aug. 11 to making false statements to the agency in connection with applications for more than $550,000 in fraudulent COVID-19 pandemic loans, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

Barrett, 45, of Covington, became an SBA employee in October 2020. In May 2021, she submitted a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application for $170,000, prosecutors said.

SBA declined to approve the loan. Two months later, Barrett approved it herself.

The agency soon discovered that Barrett had abused her position by approving the loan and other loans she or her relatives submitted.

Prosecutors said Barrett received nearly half of the approximately $550,000 she sought. She resigned from the SBA after her actions were discovered.

“The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provided critical relief to small businesses and supported our economy during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Theodore S. Hertzberg, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, said in a statement. “It is intolerable that Barrett—who was entrusted to process loans for desperate small businesses—placed her personal greed ahead of doing her job honestly. With the help of our law enforcement partners, we are committed to rooting out and punishing government employees who betray the public’s trust.”

In a related case, Sheena Thompson, 49, of Conyers, pleaded guilty on April 15 to making false statements to the SBA, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Prosecutors said Thompson admitted to trying to obtain more than $150,000 in fraudulent EIDL loans.

In a third case, Detra Lewis, 40, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty on Aug. 12 to making false statements to the SBA, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

Lewis obtained more than $1.25 million after submitting a false Paycheck Protection Program loan application on behalf of a religious group called God’s Anointed Youth Ministry.

Barrett is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 12. Thompson is set to be sentenced on Aug. 28. Lewis’ sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 14.

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