Forsyth Woman Sentenced to Prison For Theft of Government Funds

A Forsyth County woman who took advantage of a government program to fraudulently obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars must serve a year and nine months in prison and make restitution payments, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

In 2004, 62-year-old Jessica Regas began applying for a grant provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that is intended to help coalitions of community members who band together to combat drug use among young people.

Regas claimed that her business, Georgia Martial Arts Foundation, qualified for such grants under the guise of membership in the “Drug Free Forsyth Coalition.” The coalition failed to meet most of the stringent requirements for obtaining the grants, according to a U.S. attorney cited by the AJC.

From 2004 to 2013, Regas collected around $125,000 in fraudulent grant money yearly. Georgia Martial Arts Foundation closed in 2011, but Regas continued to claim and receive payouts.

Apart from the prison term, a federal judge has sentenced Regas to pay $600,000 in restitution and must serve an additional three years on probation following her release.