State of Alabama Employee Admits to Selling Prisoner Identities and Other Crimes

An employee of the State of Alabama has admitted to investigators that she participated in an intricate stolen identity refund fraud scheme. Natacia Webster pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the state by filling false claims, and aggravated identity theft.

Webster admitted to sell her co-conspirator, Melinda Clayton, the stolen identities of prisoners. Clayton utilized the information to file false tax returns.

The money obtained from the fraudulent refunds was then directed into bank accounts owned by the suspects.

Clayton was already sentenced to 61 months in prison, while Webster still awaits the judge’s decision. She faces between 2 and 32 years in prison, and 3 years of supervised release.

The suspect could also be forced to pay the equivalent of the damage she caused and a fine that could sum up to twice the losses.