ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr today provided an update on his office’s work to combat violent crime and protect Georgia lives, livelihoods and liberties.

“From North Georgia and metro Atlanta to South Georgia and the coast, we have seen unprecedented success in putting away some of Georgia’s most dangerous criminals,” said Carr. “We have also pushed back against federal overreach, securing major wins against the Biden administration’s egregious EPA proposals and dangerous immigration policies. We’re grateful for the support of Governor Brian Kemp, First Lady Marty Kemp and members of the General Assembly, and we look forward to continuing to work with them to protect Georgia lives, livelihoods and liberties.”

Combating Violent Crime

Since its creation in 2019, Carr’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit has continued to work with local, state, and federal law enforcement to arrest and prosecute offenders and rescue victims of sex trafficking. Last year alone, this Unit rescued and assisted 129 victims, led and assisted 81 case investigations, and secured 29 new convictions, all of which have resulted in prison sentences. The Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit has 39 defendants who are currently under indictment, including an individual in Clayton County who is alleged to have trafficked an adult female with a developmental disability.

Modeled after his anti-trafficking unit, Carr’s Gang Prosecution Unit has already secured 25 convictions since April 2023, and indicted 89 people since its creation in July 2022. Based in Atlanta, the Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit has regional prosecutors and investigators in Albany and Augusta. Last year, by partnering with local, state and federal law enforcement, these satellite offices:

In 2023, Carr hosted meetings of his Georgia Anti-Gang Network in every region of the state, focused specifically on identifying proven and effective youth prevention, diversion, and intervention programs. He also worked with Governor Brian Kemp and members of the General Assembly to enhance penalties for adults who are convicted of recruiting a minor into a gang.

Pushing Back Against Federal Overreach

From immigration to energy, Carr has successfully pushed back against the Biden administration’s flawed policies through the work of his Solicitor General’s Unit. Last year, Carr’s office co-led a multi-state coalition in securing a preliminary injunction to temporarily block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing its Waters of the United States Rule – an unlawful attempt to regulate nearly every conceivable drop of water on private property. He also opposed the Biden administration’s foster care rule, which would discriminate against faith-based providers and ultimately decrease care options, and an EPA proposal which attempts to regulate into closure some existing power plants by imposing more stringent federal standards. 

Protecting Older Georgians

Since Carr first took office, his Medicaid Fraud Division has secured 89 convictions for Medicaid fraud and the abuse, neglect and exploitation of older adults, resulting in $19,373,894.15 in restitution orders in criminal matters. Over this same time period, the Medicaid Fraud Division has obtained civil settlements and judgements totaling $108,833,926.70 as a result of its efforts to safeguard the Georgia Medicaid program.

Carr’s Consumer Protection Division has also taken several actions to protect older Georgians from deceptive business practices, including false advertisements pertaining to unproven stem cell therapy. Overall, since July 1, 2023, settlements with the Attorney General’s Office have resulted in payments to the State Treasury in the amount of $22,960,841 to be used to benefit the public.

Last year, the Consumer Protection Division also distributed 16,895 copies of its “Georgia Consumer Protection Guide for Older Adults,” which covers an array of topics of importance to seniors, including identity theft, reverse mortgages, long-term care and more. Available in English, Spanish and Korean, the Older Adults Guide is free to download from the Consumer Protection Division website.

Addressing Cybercrime

To aid in the investigation and prosecution of cybercrime, Carr partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and other local, state, and federal agencies to form the Georgia Cyber Fraud Task Force. Carr’s Public Integrity and White Collar Crime Unit has already prosecuted several cases as a result of leads identified by the Task Force. Last year, this Unit indicted three individuals in Gwinnett County for their alleged involvement in a romance scam targeting an older adult and a Business Email Compromise scam targeting the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Carr’s Prosecution Division is also participating in a nationwide investigation into suspected users of Genesis Market, a dark net marketplace that is known to traffic in the stolen credentials of victims whose computers have been infected with malware.

To help small businesses, non-profits, and places of worship safeguard their data and devices, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division created “Cybersecurity in Georgia.” This comprehensive guide includes critical tips and information about the different types of cyber threats, planning for and responding to a security breach, cyber insurance and more. The guide is free to download from the Consumer Protection Division website.

Keeping Kids Safe Online

In 2021, Carr joined a nationwide investigation into Meta for providing and promoting its social media platforms to children and young adults despite knowing that their use is associated with physical and mental health harms. This bipartisan investigation resulted in Carr and 32 other attorneys general filing suit against Meta last year.

Carr has continued to work with attorneys general across the country to investigate TikTok’s conduct on a similar set of concerns. This investigation remains ongoing.

In addition, Carr has urged both TikTok and Snapchat to strengthen parental controls and encouraged both Apple and Google to update their age ratings for the TikTok app.

Contact

Communications Director Kara Richardson

[email protected]