U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani | U.S. Department of Justice
A Houston woman has been arrested on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Jaysha Victorian, 23, who worked as a contractor for a national bank, appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo.
The indictment, which was issued by a federal grand jury on November 20 and unsealed upon her arrest, accuses Victorian of exploiting her access to the bank's systems in January 2021. She allegedly loaded prepaid debit cards with fraudulent credits despite knowing that these credits were not justified. The debit cards included those used for unemployment benefits distribution, notably in California.
As per the indictment details, cardholders managed to withdraw the fraudulent funds from various bank branches and ATMs before any rescission could occur. Victorian's actions are alleged to have resulted in over $8 million in fraudulent credits, with more than $7 million being withdrawn or utilized.
If found guilty, Victorian faces potential penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment for wire fraud and five years for conspiracy charges. Each charge also carries possible fines of up to $250,000.
The investigation was carried out by the FBI along with the Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Department of Labor-OIG. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad Gray and Karen Lansden.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a formal accusation and does not constitute evidence of guilt. A defendant remains presumed innocent until proven guilty through due legal process.
