CHARLESTON, W.Va. –A South Carolina woman pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated identity theft.
Della Palestino, 60, of Lexington, South Carolina admitted in court that she conducted four fraudulent transactions and withdrew a total of $37,645 from the bank accounts of four individuals.
According to a release from U.S. Attorney Moore Capito, between August 23, 2024 and September 26, 2024, Palestino had visited four financial institutions in the Southern District of West Virginia where she had used a different individual’s personal identifying information, which included a forged signature to gain access to that individual’s bank account without authorization.
Those transactions include:
– withdrawal of $2,125 in Huntington on Aug. 23, 2024
– withdrawal of $21,920 in Spencer on Sep. 19, 2024
– withdrawal of $4,200 in Charleston on Sep. 26, 2024
– withdrawal of $9,400 in Gilbert on Sep. 26, 2024
Palestino is scheduled to be sentenced on October 26. She faces a mandatory of two years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. She will also owe the $37,645 back in restitution.