Terral and Erica Jackson Charged in $49K CATS Fraud
A Baton Rouge couple has been charged with theft and conspiracy in connection with a scheme involving Capital Area Transit System (CATS) contracts totaling more than $49,000.
Terral C. Jackson, 48, and his wife Erica Jackson each face one count of theft over $25,000 and one count of conspiracy to commit theft over $25,000, according to an arrest warrant filed in the 19th Judicial District Court.
Alleged Scheme
The charges relate to contracts awarded between August 2021 and November 2021 to the couple’s company, Broad Innovation Marketing Firm LLC. The contracts were officially for a “COVID-19 Mitigation Research Grant – Contactless Payment Project”, but investigators allege the funds were instead used to promote the CATS millage campaign.
CATS Chief Administrative Officer Pearlina Thomas approved invoices that caused CATS to issue checks to Broad totaling over $49,000. Federal and state investigators, including the FBI and Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, allege the couple and Thomas misused their positions to divert the funds for political purposes.
During interviews, Thomas and Erica Jackson admitted that Broad’s work supported the election campaign rather than the contactless payment project outlined in the contracts. Erica Jackson also testified before a federal grand jury, confirming she prepared the invoices and received payments from CATS.
Evidence
Investigators used bank records, emails, and text messages obtained from Apple to confirm the conspiracy. Other individuals, including Thomas and contractor Jarian Colar, have already faced charges in connection with related thefts.
A grand jury returned an indictment against Terral and Erica Jackson on Wednesday. The case is being prosecuted by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, which is not providing additional comment at this time.
This case highlights ongoing scrutiny over the misuse of public funds in local government contracts and the enforcement of campaign finance laws.
