Georgia mom thought her rent was paid months in advance. Then she was evicted while caring for her newborn – and she wasn’t the only one

Three family members are facing multiple fraud charges after allegedly intercepting more than $65,000 in rent payments from tenants in East Point, Georgia. The alleged scheme left at least 60 residents facing eviction, with many unaware that their checks and money orders had never reached the property management company.

An investigation by WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News uncovered the alleged fraud at the Fulton Pointe Apartments. East Point Police identified the three women as Cynthia Dorsey, Destiny Dorsey, and Christia Smith. Each is facing six fraud-related counts.

According to arrest warrants, the women allegedly used their positions at apartment complexes to get access to rent payments. Over several months, they reportedly intercepted physical checks and money orders and deposited the money into personal bank accounts instead of recording the payments in the apartment’s system.

The tenants started noticing the pattern

The alleged scheme reportedly involved more than $65,000. But for the tenants, the problem went beyond missing rent payments. Because the apartment’s records showed that residents had not paid, eviction proceedings were started against people who believed they were up to date.

For some residents, the first sign that something was wrong came when they received eviction notices despite having receipts or other proof that they had paid. What should have been routine rent payments suddenly became a scramble to figure out where their money had gone and why the apartment’s records showed something completely different.

Former resident Kayla Sherrod told WSB-TV about how the situation affected her family. Sherrod’s disabled mother was recovering from a stroke at a nursing facility, and she had paid their rent in advance from December through May.

Despite those payments, Sherrod was evicted in April while caring for a newborn baby. When she looked through the eviction paperwork, she noticed that Destiny Dorsey was listed as the plaintiff.

Sherrod also said she began noticing a pattern around the complex before she was forced out. First, neighbors living downstairs were evicted. Then residents across the hall were removed. After that, families living in the back blocks of the complex were also put out.

After leaving Fulton Pointe because of severe water leaks and pest infestations, Sherrod discovered that her rent money orders had allegedly been traced to a personal bank account instead of the property’s corporate account. She was also denied the return of her $1,500 security deposit.

The investigation picked up after victims began comparing their receipts, notes, and court paperwork. Destiny Dorsey and Christia Smith were arrested early in the investigation, while their mother, Cynthia Dorsey, initially remained at large. Police later appealed to the public for information about her whereabouts.

The investigation is still ongoing

East Point Police said the current charges are connected to Fulton Pointe Apartments, but investigators are looking into whether the alleged scheme went further. Authorities believe the family members may have worked at other leasing offices in the area and carried out similar schemes involving rent checks.

The investigation remains ongoing as detectives examine records from other apartment complexes. Property management companies connected to the case have declined to comment while the criminal investigation continues.