McDuffie School Board Chairwoman Arrested in Theft Investigation, GBI Says

THOMSON, Ga. — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Thomson woman who serves as chair of the McDuffie County School Board and East Georgia Housing Authority in connection with a theft investigation.

Susan Toleatna-Felicia Benning-Tutt, 52, was arrested Friday, April 17, 2026, and charged with one count of theft by conversion, according to the GBI.

The charge stems from an investigation launched after the Thomson Police Department requested GBI assistance on Jan. 29, 2025, regarding allegations Benning-Tutt, while serving as property manager for Greene Financial Group, was involved in fraudulent business activity.

Authorities said investigators spent months reviewing financial records before identifying the alleged theft.

Under Georgia law, theft by conversion involves lawfully obtaining funds or property under an agreement and then knowingly converting those assets for personal use in violation of that agreement.

Benning-Tutt was booked into the McDuffie County Jail. Her bond was set at $5,000, and she bonded out by Saturday morning.

Benning-Tutt currently serves as chair of the McDuffie County School Board, representing District 1, and also serves as chair of the East Georgia Housing Authority. The corresponding websites still show her in those positions.

The GBI said the investigation remains active and ongoing.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Thomson at 706-595-2575. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Toombs Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.