PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Kadesa Sayles, a 29-year-old woman from Palm Beach County, has been arrested for allegedly running an elaborate fraud scheme that impacted over 50 victims nationwide. According to the Palm Beach Police Department (PBPD), Sayles hijacked victims’ phone numbers, enabling access to sensitive financial and personal information.
The investigation began on April 10, when a 75-year-old man reported suspicious activity involving his AT&T mobile account. He said he received a call from someone claiming to be an AT&T representative, who convinced him to share a text verification code. That code was then used to transfer his phone number to Verizon, effectively stealing his number.
With access to the victim’s phone number, the suspect allegedly attempted unauthorized bank wire transfers and gained control of his email and Apple accounts. The “Find My” feature led investigators to an unknown location, which was linked to Kadesa Sayles — a person previously investigated for a similar fraud case in Virginia in 2023.
A week later, the victim provided PBPD with evidence from a private investigator, revealing two wire transfer attempts totaling more than $220,000 to accounts connected to unidentified individuals.
Further investigation uncovered another victim in Las Vegas who experienced similar tactics. That individual also had their phone and iCloud account taken over. Once access was restored, synced photos allegedly from Sayles appeared in the victim’s cloud storage.
On May 5, authorities executed a search warrant at Sayles’s residence in Westlake, where they reportedly discovered a notebook labeled “Work $” containing personal information of more than 50 victims. Officers also seized computers, electronics, and over $15,000 believed to be fraud proceeds.
Sayles was arrested on Wednesday and faces charges of fraud exceeding $50,000 and two counts of using another person’s identification without consent.
