Woman Arrested in Newtown School Shooting Scam
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DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images(HARTFORD, Conn.) — Authorities say a New York City woman who pretended to be an aunt to one of the 20 children killed in the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., has been arrested and charged with lying to federal agents.
The FBI and a U.S. attorney in Connecticut say 37-year-old Noeul Alba of the Bronx solicited money for the child’s funeral, then steered the funds into her own PayPal account. The criminal complaint does not state how much money was collected.
Authorities say Alba “used her Facebook account, telephone calls and text messages” during the alleged scam, and then lied to investigators. Alba was charged Thursday in federal court in Hartford with making false statements and was released on $50,000 bond. She faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Authorities say Alba could potentially also be charged with wire fraud, “access device fraud” and “interstate transportation of stolen property.”
Federal prosecutors in Connecticut say they are investigating a number of scams connected to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
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