ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A former supervisor at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing government funds after prosecutors said she used fake vendor invoices to trigger payments to an account she controlled.
Gwendolyn Brandon, 43, of Cumming, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors said the scheme ran from about August 2023 through February 2025, while Brandon worked as a CDC administrative professional.
Why this matters
- Prosecutors say the scheme siphoned taxpayer-funded money meant for public health operations.
- The case underscores how fraud can exploit routine payment systems and internal controls at major federal agencies.
- The plea agreement includes a permanent federal employment/contracting ban, reflecting broader efforts to protect government spending.
Federal officials said Brandon created fraudulent invoices that appeared to come from legitimate vendors seeking payment for goods or services. Prosecutors said those invoices led to payments that went to an account Brandon controlled, and she used her position and knowledge of CDC invoice and credit-card processing systems to get employees she supervised — who authorities said did not know about the fraud — to process the payments…