Individual involved in $345,000 bank fraud scheme receives prison sentence

Tacoma Woman Sentenced for Stealing Customer Information

Tacoma, Washington — Just weeks into her “work from home” position at a credit union, a woman used her temporary job to illegally access customers’ account information, enabling others to seize control of their accounts and steal funds, as reported by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Anaesia Ford, 32, received a 30-month prison sentence on Thursday. In court, U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead remarked on the seriousness of her actions, emphasizing the trust her employer placed in her and the real harm caused to individuals as a result of her misconduct.

Documents related to the case indicate that Ford served as a contact center employee, working from her home in Tacoma, from May to August 2022, assisting customers with account-related issues.

During her employment, she had access to sensitive personal information about the credit union’s clients, according to the Justice Department.

The first instance of account takeover happened just days after she completed her training as a customer service representative.

The personal information that Ford stole was shared with co-defendant D’Angelo Roberts, 23, and utilized with other accomplices to breach customer accounts.

Roberts took the stolen information to create false identification documents to secure debit cards, which were then used to withdraw money from victims’ accounts, often directly from credit union branches.

After raising ATM withdrawal limits, the group managed to steal up to $25,000 in cash.

Additionally, they emptied victims’ accounts by ordering cashier’s checks and purchasing postal orders payable to other conspirators and associates, using their unauthorized access to move funds and check account balances.

The total theft from the victims’ credit union accounts amounted to approximately $345,014.

While Ford’s involvement in the conspiracy appeared straightforward, she analyzed the accounts to identify which ones would be advantageous targets for her accomplices, according to investigators.