Two Tallahassee women now face up to 20 years behind bars after admitting they committed identity theft to rip off the Florida Prepaid College Program, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.
Julie Michelle Shuler, 32, and Taylor Skiey Bradham, 26, both pleaded guilty to federal charges to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. Schuler also pleaded guilty to four counts of mail fraud.
Here’s what happened, according to federal prosecutors: Both women worked as contractors for the program to provide customer service and records administration. They misused their positions, however, to gain access to the personal information of active account owners.
The Florida Prepaid College Program is a state-sponsored plan that allows families to prepay for future college tuition and other costs for Florida public colleges and universities but at current rates.
The women hatched a plan to hijack personal information, changing the ownership of existing Florida Prepaid accounts and plans. After taking over, they would cancel them, triggering refund checks to be mailed to addresses of their choosing, which the women then cashed.
In all, the duo stole or tried to steal around $86,000, according to the release.
“These defendants sought to exploit Florida parents’ investments in their children’s futures for their own personal gain, but thanks to the diligent collaboration between my office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, their profiteering scheme has been dismantled and a prison cell awaits them,” U.S. Attorney Jack Heekin said in a statement.
Shuler’s sentencing is set for Aug. 6; Bradham’s sentencing is on Sept. 15, records show. Both will be at the U.S. Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief U.S. District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
Arianna Otero is the trending and breaking news reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Identity theft scheme targets Florida college savings plans, federal prosecutors say
Reporting by Arianna Otero, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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