A former Georgia resident pleaded guilty Friday in federal court in Portland to committing wire fraud, after taking nearly $100,000 from a Kennebunk business over two years to pay expenses for herself, family members and her business, federal prosecutors said.
From at least as early as November 2019 through October 2021, Alexis Hodges, 39, formerly of Atlanta, provided the bank account information of the unidentified Kennebunk business to numerous vendors, the U.S. attorney said. Money was electronically withdrawn from the account to pay her rent, insurance policies, auto loans and credit card bills, among other things, without the victim’s consent or knowledge, prosecutors say.
Hodges made or tried to make unauthorized payments of about $99,571 from the Kennebunk business’ account, the U.S. attorney said. Prosecutors say Hodges bought two vehicle insurance policies, took out an auto loan, and was approved for two credit cards.
In September 2021, the Kennebunk business discovered the unauthorized payments and reported them to the Kennebunk Police Department, which referred the case to the U.S. Secret Service’s New England Cyber Fraud Task Force for investigation.
She faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000, or twice the gain or loss, whichever figure is greater.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said it does not identify crime victims and is limiting identifying information, including the name and type of business, to protect its privacy.
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