A former state worker in Georgia was indicted Monday for pretending to be pregnant to secure paid leave.
The State Inspector General accused Robin Folsom, 43, of wearing a fake pregnancy stomach and sending pictures of “her baby” to co-workers who noticed inconsistencies with the photos last year. Investigators also suspect she may have faked another pregnancy in 2020.
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PREGNANT JOURNALIST GIVEN REFUGE BY TALIBAN ALLOWED HOME TO NEW ZEALAND
“All state employees, and especially those that communicate with the media and general public on behalf of their agency, should be held to the highest standards of integrity and honesty,” said State Inspector General Scott McAfee. “OIG will continue to hold state employees accountable if they choose to deceive their superiors and receive undeserved compensation.”
Folsom was indicted on three counts of false statements and one count of identity fraud last week by a Fulton County grand jury. Folsom worked as the director of external affairs for the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency until she resigned last October after being interviewed by investigators.
A co-worker claimed to see the “lower portion of Folsom’s stomach ‘come away’ from her body” in March 2021, which raised suspicions she was wearing a fake stomach.
Investigators said Folson announced she gave birth last May and that her supervisors subsequently received an email from a man claiming to be the father of her child. The email said doctors required Folsom received several weeks of rest after the delivery, which led to the agency approving seven weeks of paid leave that it “otherwise would not have approved.”
The indictment also alleges pictures Folsom sent to her co-workers that she claimed showed her new baby actually depicted children with different skin tones and other inconsistencies. Folson also allegedly said she gave birth to another child in July 2020. It is unclear if she also got paid leave for that birth. OIG said the State Office of Vital Records did not have any documentation proving she has ever given birth. They found no birth certificates, insurance records, or medical records listing her as a mother.
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The grand jury indictment was filed in the Fulton County Superior Court last Thursday. The Georgia Office of the Attorney General announced Monday it would prosecute the case.
“Fraud by state employees will not be tolerated,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “By working with Georgia’s independent Inspector General, we were able to discover, investigate and put an end to this alleged deception. We will always stand up to protect taxpayer dollars, and we look forward to presenting our case in court.”
