Two women from Texas and Connecticut were arrested in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday and federally indicted for allegedly stealing identities and using forged identification documents to withdraw thousands in cash from banks across multiple cities.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska, 25-year-old Karey McLeish of Texas and 45-year-old Rebekah Walker of Connecticut were charged on May 16 and indicted by a federal grand jury on May 21.
The women are each facing one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, five counts of aggravated identity theft, five counts of forgery or false use of a passport, and one count of fraud involving identification documents.
Authorities were first alerted on April 14, when Anchorage Police received reports that a woman had visited three bank branches—in Eagle River, Wasilla, and Anchorage—presenting suspicious military ID and passport cards. The photo matched the woman, but the names and dates of birth belonged to other individuals. She successfully withdrew $19,000, with $9,500 taken from both the Eagle River and Wasilla branches.
The next day, similar incidents occurred in Soldotna and Kenai, where police were again informed about a woman presenting fraudulent identification. Bank staff in Kenai recognized the suspect from an internal fraud alert. She fled the scene but was later stopped by Soldotna Police.
The suspect seen in the banks was identified as Rebekah Walker, while Karey McLeish was allegedly the getaway driver. Upon their arrest, officers found $2,300 in cash and three cellphones in their possession or vehicle.
A search of their hotel room in Soldotna revealed a cache of 11 military IDs and 11 passport cards, all with different names and birth dates tied to Alaska residents—but bearing Walker’s photograph.
Both women were scheduled to make their initial court appearances on Friday.
The case underscores the increasing sophistication of identity fraud schemes targeting financial institutions and highlights the importance of interagency cooperation in combating such crimes.
