Jennifer O’Neal, a 63‑year‑old program specialist for Court Appointed Special Advocates of Polk & Haralson, used her payroll and reimbursement duties to siphon $96,713 from the organization between 2018 and 2022. The fraud involved inflated mileage claims and fabricated expense receipts for events that never occurred, allowing her to divert funds that were earmarked for abused and neglected children.
The stolen money was funneled into personal indulgences—Netflix subscriptions, a Six Flags ticket, lingerie, home theatre equipment, and even her own utility and cell‑phone bills. Reports showed she paid her household expenses, such as electricity and water, directly from CASA’s bank accounts.
US Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg condemned the theft, noting that the money was intended for the most vulnerable children in the state. FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Mitchell Jackson called the scheme a repeated, deliberate abuse of trust, while GBI Director Chris Hosey urged continued cooperation with federal partners to hold offenders accountable.
O’Neal pleaded guilty on September 15, as announced by the Northern District of Georgia’s U.S. Attorney’s Office. A sentencing hearing is set for December 17, 2026, where Judge William M. Ray II will decide the penalty.
The case underscores how breaches of fiduciary duty can directly damage the resources meant to protect children, prompting calls for tighter oversight within nonprofit agencies that serve vulnerable populations.