NEW JERSEY — Janet Bernal, 48, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud. These charges stem from an alleged scheme Bernal operated from June 2020 through August 2024, in which she produced and sold fraudulent coupons that were widely used at grocery and pharmacy retailers across the country, including in New Jersey.
According to the indictment, Bernal sold access to counterfeit coupons through a subscription group hosted on a widely used cloud-based messaging platform. Subscribers paid monthly fees—collected through mobile cash apps under Bernal’s control—and, in return, were granted unrestricted access to thousands of digital counterfeit coupons. These were then redeemed at retail stores by members of the group, leading to significant financial losses for both retailers and manufacturers.
Investigators estimate the total loss from the scheme exceeded $17 million. The wire fraud and conspiracy charges each carry a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the financial gain or loss caused by the offense.
The investigation that led to the indictment was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen in Newark. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blake Coppotelli of the Economic Crimes Unit.
Authorities emphasize that these charges are allegations, and Bernal is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
This case underscores the broader vulnerability of retail systems to fraudulent coupon schemes, which have increasingly migrated to digital platforms and social media-based distribution methods.
