Judge Orders Paulding County Woman to Repay $80K, Shuts Down Charity Over Fraud Allegations, a resident listed in public arrest records, was taken into custody on April 2, 2025, in Featured County, Georgia. According to the official booking report, the arrest was made by local authorities and the subject was charged with the following offense(s): unspecified charges. This incident was officially recorded and made publicly available by law enforcement agencies in the state of Georgia. The details provided reflect the arrest information at the time of booking and do not indicate guilt or conviction. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. – A Paulding County woman accused of misusing charitable donations has been ordered to repay $80,000 and shut down her nonprofit following a lawsuit by the Georgia Secretary of State.
Sarah Koeppen, founder of The Hope Box in Acworth, created the organization to combat infant abandonment, rescue children from trafficking, and train law enforcement on the state’s “Safe Haven” law. However, officials claim the charity was never legally registered and that Koeppen misappropriated funds for personal expenses.
A Fulton County judge ruled that Koeppen spent tens of thousands of dollars over five years on non-charitable purchases, including travel, dental work, salon visits, dinner parties, and her daughter’s birthday celebration. She also allegedly used donations for an $800 wedding photography session and over $36,000 in restaurant and liquor store purchases.
Despite signing a 2023 consent decree agreeing to dissolve The Hope Box, investigators say Koeppen continued to solicit donations, opened a bank account in Hawaii, and launched a new organization, Haven, which mirrored The Hope Box in mission, website, phone number, and address—without proper registration in Georgia.
Koeppen denies any wrongdoing, claiming she was awaiting guidance from the Georgia Attorney General’s Office on how to properly dissolve the nonprofit.
The judge upheld the Secretary of State’s request to enforce the 2023 agreement, ordering Koeppen to return misused funds, surrender assets—including a Kia SUV, MacBook, Apple Watch, and office supplies—and permanently shut down The Hope Box.
Disclaimer: All data provided here is taken from public arrest records. This publication does not imply guilt or final conviction.
More Arrests in Featured on April 2, 2025
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