A Chicago woman named Alicia has been charged with a felony in an alleged identity theft scheme, and police and court records list Empire star Taraji P. Henson as one of the people targeted, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Prosecutors did not name any of the alleged victims in court, the Tribune reported, but police and court records identified Henson. Prosecutors say the scheme added up to more than $12,000 in fraudulent transactions, although more than $4,000 of that was canceled after Henson’s manager spotted the activity last August.
Assistant State’s Attorney James Costello told the court that the defendant “raided the account for a variety of information,” which prosecutors say was then used to buy items online and have them mailed to addresses not connected to the victims.
Charging documents also name several financial companies and online merchants as targets of the alleged fraud. According to the Tribune, Alicia was arrested Saturday during a search warrant, following an investigation that lasted nearly a year.
The Tribune also reported that prosecutors allege utilities were put in her name at two addresses, and that a lease for one of them was obtained using a second victim’s identity. Prosecutors further allege she assaulted a mail carrier who refused to deliver packages tied to the scheme.
Her attorney asked the court for a reasonable bond, pointing out that the charge is not a violent crime. A felony charge is an accusation and not a finding of guilt. Henson is listed as a victim in the case and is not accused of any wrongdoing.
