Ex-State Worker Stole $200K In Taxpayer Money: AG

ATLANTA, GA — A former Department of Juvenile Justice employee and her husband stole more than $200,000 in taxpayer money while working for the state, according to authorities.

Natasha Bray and her husband, Devore Bray, have been charged with racketeering, state Attorney General Chris Carr announced Monday. The state claims that Natasha Bray, who was in charge of the department's vehicle fleet budget, created a fake bank account and steered thousands of dollars to it.

"Government officials serve in positions that affect the lives of our citizens and finances of our state," Carr in a news release. "It is our responsibility to see that state employees discharge those duties ethically and honestly, and if they do not, we will hold them accountable."

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According to the charges, Natasha Bray was a longtime DJJ employee who held multiple positions with the department. In December 2014, while managing the vehicle fleet budget, she opened a Wells Fargo account in the name of Lowes Enterprise, an old, unused vendor account, Carr said.

About two months later, she changed bank account information on the account to her own Wells Fargo account and began creating and paying fake invoices to that account, according to the charges.

Between December 2014 and April 2017, the couple is accused of funneling about $222,233 into the personal account. During that time, none of the department's facilities used services from Lowes Enterprise, Carr said.

Racketeering carries a penalty of 5-20 years in prison and requirement to pay up to three times the amount of money stolen.

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