Influencer Arrested For Allegedly Stealing Identity And $100,000 For Luxury Getaways
A 31-year-old American influencer could face 20 years in prison following accusations she stole someone’s identity to get a loan, which she then spent on luxury trips.
Danielle Miller, from Miami, Florida, shares images of her life and travels with more than 34,000 followers on her @killadmilla Instagram account.
It is these posts that the US attorney’s office for the District of Massachusetts used as part of its evidence as Miller was arrested and charged with alleged wire fraud last week following a series of acts that took place last year.
According to a release from the US Attorney’s Office, based on an investigation conducted by Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, Miller allegedly stole the identity of a Massachusetts resident by accessing their online Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) account.
The influencer is then said to have used the person’s stolen information to open a bank account and apply for a pandemic-related Economic Injury Disaster loan (EIDL), issued by the federal government, through the US Small Business Administration (SBA).
More than $102,000 was deposited into the bank account from the SBA in August 2020, after which Miller is accused of using the funds to book a private flight from Florida to California under the name of the person whose identity she stole.
a year agoThe influencer is said to have booked the flight using a fake driver’s license in the victim’s name, but which contained Miller’s photograph. She is also accused of conducting ATM transactions using the bank account in the victim’s name.
After the loan was deposited into the bank account, Miller shared posts showing her at a number of luxury hotels in California. The US Attorney’s Office has noted that transactions using the same bank account were also conducted at these hotels, citing one example which saw a $5,500 charge to the luxury hotel Petit Ermitage just days after Miller posted a photo of herself there.
It seems that Miller’s alleged fraudulent activity may not have stopped with one victim, as the IP address used to apply for the loan is said to have also been used to access the online RMV accounts of other individuals, whose identities were then used to apply for more than $900,000 in SBA loans.
Following her arrest, Miller is set to appear in US District Court in Boston. If convicted of wire fraud, she faces up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
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Topics: News, California, Florida, fraud, Influencer, Instagram, Massachusetts, miami
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Department of Justice US Attorney's OfficeDepartment of Justice US Attorney's Office
Miami Woman Arrested for Wire Fraud Arising From Small Business Disaster Relief Loan
