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2 Camelot Condominiums HOA members face theft charges in South Fulton

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Published  November 3, 2023 6:12pm EDT
South Fulton
FOX 5 Atlanta

2 condo complex HOA members face theft charges

Some HOA board members face criminal charges Friday afternoon. South Fulton police say they misused funds from a $1.5-million insurance payout. The money was meant for victims of a fire at the Camelot Condominiums complex on Old National Highway.

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - South Fulton police have announced an arrest in connection with a fire that destroyed a building at the Camelot Condominiums complex on Old National Highway in 2020.

Former homeowners’ association President Bettye Ligon and Lyndon Baldwin, who is the current HOA treasurer, are charged with stealing funds from a $1.5-million insurance payout meant for fire victims.

South Fulton Police Chief Keith Meadows said his department launched an investigation after victims who should’ve received some of the money contacted police.

"After we received the initial complaints about those funds, we started looking through phone records and financial records," the chief said. "As we were combing through financial records, we were able to uncover some irregularities as it relates to withdrawals, some expenditures that were coming out of that particular account."

Ligon and Baldwin are charged with theft by conversion and theft by taking. In one instance investigators reportedly found $26,000 that was taken out of the account was unaccounted for.

In a second instance a check in the amount of $980 was written out to an HOA board member.

SOUTH FULTON POLICE TARGETS CRIME ALONG OLD NATIONAL HIGHWAY

The alleged theft is the latest in a series of incidents at the complex which has been plagued by gangs and criminal activity.

City Councilwoman Linda Pritchett noted crime is down 22%in the Old National Highway corridor due to aggressive police enforcement.

"We have heard from citizens who are very concerned in those areas," said Councilwoman Pritchett. "Old National Highway is becoming a lot safer and you will be seeing roadblocks, road checks, just more visibility from police."

South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau is urging complex residents to share their concerns with city leaders and law enforcement.

"If you have stories, if you have information either about this building or other things about Camelot that you have concerns about, now is the time to come forward," Mayor Kamau explained.

Police say there may be more arrests in the case. They are having trouble locating all the victims due to the length of time that’s passed since the fire. They ask anyone who may have been affected to give them a call.