MACON, Ga. — A Macon man - and former state house candidate - plans to plead guilty to stealing millions of dollars in COVID relief funds , according to court documents from Macon's federal court.
According to prior 13WMAZ reporting, James Frank Austin Jr. — who ran for the Georgia State House back in 2016 — received over $2 million from a COVID-19 program which helped cover payroll expenses for businesses disrupted by the pandemic.
Austin and co-defendant Roseland Way said the money was for a company they ran - but a federal indictment said they "used the majority of these funds for personal use," including the purchase of a $120,000 Bentley.
Now, court documents say that Austin plans to plead guilty to the indictment, and is not taking a plea agreement. That hearing is scheduled