Influencer pleads guilty to $1.5 million COVID relief fraud scheme
CBSN
Danielle Miller, a 32-year-old Miami social media influencer, has pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft in a $1.5 million COVID relief fraud scheme, according to the Department of Justice.
The New York-born Miller used the stolen identities of more than 10 people and fake business names to claim pandemic-related financial assistance, which she then used to fund personal expenses, such as rent in a luxury apartment and to charter a private plane.
She procured money from the disaster funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, and other unemployment benefits, according to the press release from the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's Office. She relied on fake driver's licenses and adopted the aliases when convenient.