A former Georgia state employee who is alleged to have staged a fake pregnancy scam has now been indicted by a grand jury.
Robin Folsom, 43, was indicted by a Fulton County grand jury this month on multiple felonies, according to a report by regional outlet WJCL.
Court documents list Folsom as a defendant on felonies including identity fraud and triple false testimony. Impersonation, if convicted, is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $100,000. Each false count may result in up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
According to the Office of the Inspector General of Georgia, Folsom is the former director of external affairs for the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA). In October 2020, Folsom reportedly notified human resources that she was pregnant and later announced a May 2021 birth. After receiving an email from someone who said he was the child’s father, the GVRA approved several weeks’ paid leave “that it would not have agreed otherwise.”
An investigation eventually uncovered additional details, including in March last year a colleague who stated that she saw “the lower part of Folsom’s abdomen ‘separating’ from her body.” Additionally, this colleague said they “believed Folsom was carrying a fake pregnant belly.” Folsom is also said to have taken baby photos with her colleagues, although the images in question were “inconsistent” in nature.
“Fraud by state employees will not be tolerated,” Attorney General Chris Carr said in a statement released this month. “By working with Georgia’s Independent Inspector General, we were able to uncover, investigate and put an end to this alleged deception. We will always be committed to protecting taxpayers’ money and look forward to taking our case to court.”
Records are said to have shown “no evidence” that Folsom had given birth to a child. However, she previously reported a birth in July 2020. In August of last year, Folsom again said she was pregnant. By October 2021, and specifically following an interview with investigators, Folsom had resigned from her position at GVRA.
The story goes on
“All government employees, and particularly those who communicate with the media and the public on behalf of their agency, should maintain the highest standards of integrity and honesty,” Georgia Inspector General Scott McAfee said this week.
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