A Houston woman, Jaysha Victorian, has been arrested on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy after allegedly defrauding a national bank of over $8 million. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas announced the charges today following a federal grand jury indictment returned on November 20. The indictment was unsealed after Victorian’s arrest.
Victorian, 23, appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo earlier today. According to the indictment, in January 2021, Victorian exploited her position as a contractor for the victim bank to fraudulently load prepaid debit cards with credits. Investigators claim she knew the credits were unwarranted and abused her access to bank systems to carry out the scheme, which involved large sums of money.
The fraudulent prepaid cards included those used for unemployment benefits, including for the state of California, impacting both state and federal programs. Cardholders were able to withdraw or spend the funds before they could be rescinded, resulting in over $8 million in fraudulent credits. More than $7 million of the funds were withdrawn or spent.
Victorian faces up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud and five years for conspiracy if convicted. Each count also carries potential fines of up to $250,000.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct and not evidence. Victorian is presumed innocent until proven guilty through due process.
