Former Powerball Winner Charged With Stealing $73K From Small-Town Parks Fund
A former Point Marion borough official who once struck it rich with a multi-million-dollar Powerball win is now facing felony charges after investigators say she stole more than $73,000 from the town’s parks commission to fuel a gambling habit.
Former Powerball Winner Charged With Stealing Borough Funds to Support Gambling Habit
Georgianna M. Carter, 58, the former vice president of the Point Marion Borough Parks Commission, was charged this week with theft by unlawful taking, access device fraud, and misapplication of entrusted government funds in Fayette County. Prosecutors allege Carter siphoned park funds through dozens of unauthorized withdrawals and transactions over a 16-month period.
According to court documents, Carter joined the volunteer commission in April 2021, a role that gave her access to the group’s bank account. The alleged theft wasn’t discovered until August 2022, when Mayor Carl Ables Jr. noticed that invoices tied to the annual Point Marion Regatta were going unpaid. A review of the account revealed numerous transactions that were not legitimate municipal expenses, including payments and transfers made directly to Carter.
Police say Carter admitted to taking the money when confronted in 2022, but no charges were filed at the time. She was removed from the commission, and the case went dormant for nearly three years.
Investigators Say Only a Fraction of Stolen Money Was Ever Repaid
That changed after Michael Aubele took over as Fayette County district attorney. Aubele said his office revisited the case last year and reopened the investigation, which included a follow-up interview with Carter conducted by county detectives and an FBI agent.
During that interview, Carter again admitted to taking the money, but claimed her boyfriend had already repaid the borough. A financial review showed that only three checks totaling $17,000 had been returned, far short of the $73,183 investigators say was taken between April 2021 and August 2022.
The case drew added attention due to Carter’s history with gambling winnings. She was a co-winner of a $30.6 million Powerball jackpot in 2002 and also won $100,000 from a Pennsylvania Lottery scratch-off ticket in 2011. Aubele said investigators were stunned to learn Carter claimed she lacked the funds to make full restitution despite those past windfalls.
Carter was arraigned Thursday morning and released on $50,000 unsecured bond. Her preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 25. No attorney was listed for her in court records, and Point Marion borough officials have not commented publicly on the case.
Players trust our reporting due to our commitment to unbiased and professional evaluations of the iGaming sector. We track hundreds of platforms and industry updates daily to ensure our news feed and leaderboards reflect the most recent market shifts. With nearly two decades of experience within iGaming, our team provides a wealth of expert knowledge. This long-standing expertise enables us to deliver thorough, reliable news and guidance to our readers.
Latest News
