Second Vendor Indicted in Georgia National Guard Kickback Scheme

An Atlanta woman has been indicted for allegedly obtaining construction contracts with the Georgia Department of Defense through the use of kickbacks.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division, Angela Thicklin, 43, allegedly conspired with her friend Raytosha Elliott, a former contracting official with the Georgia National Guard at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, to set up a scheme which saw Thicklin and another vendor, Lakeysha Ellis, receive no-bid contracts for work in exchange for kickback payments to Elliott.

Elliott allegedly awarded at least six contracts worth a total of $25,000 to a shell company owned by Thicklin and awarded at least 17 contracts worth $75,000 to a shell company owned by Ellis. Elliott would allegedly submit false documents certifying the work had been completed so that the “contractors” would be paid for their services. Thicklin and Ellis would then pay Elliott anywhere up to 50 percent of the value of the contracts that they were awarded.

The trio allegedly split up the money and spent it on themselves, buying meals, travel, and merchandise.

Thicklin and Elliott have been indicted on counts of conspiracy and bribery of a public official. Elliott received additional indictments on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy with Ellis. All three are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, said in a statement that, “[t]he alleged actions of these defendants reflect that they have no sense of duty and that they defy the rule of law. They exhibited a very active scheme to defraud. The FBI, in working with its many law enforcement partners, will continue to make such public corruption cases an investigative priority.”