Tennessee Democrat state Sen. Katrina Robinson is facing up to 20 years in prison on charges she embezzled more than $600,000 in federal grants for personal expenses, including for her lavish wedding and honeymoon, legal fees for her subsequent divorce, a Jeep, designer products, and a campaign event, federal prosecutors say.
A criminal complaint against Sen. Robinson with charges of theft and embezzlement involving government programs and wire fraud was unsealed Wednesday by D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
Sen. Robinson is the owner of The Healthcare Institute, a for-profit nursing school in Memphis founded in 2015.
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According to the complaint, The Healthcare Institute received more than $2.2 million in federal grants between 2015 and 2019, of which Robinson allegedly used $600,000 to line her own pockets and make purchases for personal use.
WashingtonExaminer reports: According to the complaint, purchases Robinson made with federal grant funds include expenses for her wedding and honeymoon and, later, legal fees for her divorce; more than $16,500 on electronics; payments for designer clothing and beauty products; improvements to her personal residence, including home theater equipment and an iron entry door valued above $5,500; a 2016 Jeep Renegade for her daughter; $54,000 to a personal IRA; and payments on personal loans and credit cards.
The complaint lists inappropriate payments totaling more than $70,000 for construction, remodeling, utilities, and rent for a body sculpting business called Celebrity Body Studio, also owned by Robinson.
Robinson is also accused of paying herself nearly $170,000 beyond what was approved in the grant.
Robinson responded to the charges in an appearance in Memphis on Wednesday afternoon.
“It is believed that if I were not in the position that I’m in, that if I did not champion the voices, the views, and the faces that I represent, that I would not be in this moment right now with you today,” Robinson said. “For that reason, I want to reassure all of my constituents … that I am committed to continuing to serve with the same integrity, the same passion that I have demonstrated since you elected me to this office.”
Robinson was elected to office in 2018 after successfully challenging the late Sen. Reginald Tate. She would be up for re-election in 2022.
“Sometimes we criminalize activity that may not have any criminal intent,” Robinson’s attorney Janika White said at a news conference Wednesday evening, stressing that the matter had not yet been heard by a grand jury, nor has an indictment been issued.
If convicted, Robinson could face up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. A date has not yet been determined for a federal grand jury to hear the case to consider an indictment.
A spokesman for Lt. Gov. McNally said that due to the seriousness of the charges, the lieutenant governor plans to ask the Senate Ethics Committee to look into the matter.
Baxter Dmitry
Email: baxter@thepeoplesvoice.tv
There we go again with that word “intent”.
Into the woodchipper with you, slimeball!
They arent allowed to catch them all or else the people would really get the idea.
Typical democrap, typical nigger. Execute her.
No doubt she won’t spend even a day behind bars.