New York Woman Indicted For Lying To Federal Agents Looking Into Alleged Newtown Fraud
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A New York woman under investigation for an alleged Newtown massacre charity scam has been indicted for lying to federal agents, officials said Tuesday.
Nouel Alba was arrested in December after she allegedly tried to swindle donors by posing as a relative of one of the children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Prosecutors said Alba used her Facebook and PayPal accounts, along with telephone calls and text messages, to seek donations for what she called a "funeral fund."
Extra: Read The Complaint (.pdf) | Read The Indictment (.pdf)
Alba, posing as "Victorian Glam Fairys" (cq), identified herself as the aunt of Noah Pozner, according to prosecutors. Pozner was gunned down in the school shooting.
""My heart is entirely destroyed knowing my little man is gone," Alba wrote on her Facebook page, prosecutors said.
New York Woman Indicted For Lying To Federal Agents Looking Into Alleged Newtown Fraud
"We've set up a funeral fund for my brother and families. Anyone willing to make a donation can make one," prosecutors said Alba wrote before giving instructions about how to donate through PayPal or direct deposit.
Alba allegedly spoke with a donor over the phone, and claimed to have visited Sandy Hook Elementary School to identify her "nephew."
"I don't think I could ever fully recover from what I saw and his lifeless body just laying there," Alba allegedly wrote.
In the indictment announced Tuesday, prosecutors said she lied to FBI agents quizzing her about the Facebook posts, allegedly telling them she didn't post them, and that her PayPal account was inactive.
If convicted of the charge of making false statements to federal agents, she faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
"Investigators continue to monitor the Internet to uncover other fundraising scams arising from this tragedy, and any individuals who attempt to profit through these schemes will be prosecuted," said U.S. Attorney David Fein.
Sound off on this story in our comments section below.
