Pennsylvania Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme

PHILADELPHIA—Bonnie Sweeten, 40, of Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft stemming from a fraud scheme in which she stole in excess of $700,000 from the law firm where she worked, its clients, and her co-workers, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Sweeten stole funds from family members as well as the law office where she was formerly employed and its clients. She used the identity of another person and posed as another person while using false identification and forging signatures on various documents including a property settlement. Additionally, Sweeten stole the identity of friend and fellow employee and used the identity to facilitate her flight from the jurisdiction. She also forged a signature of a judge on a court order for the purpose of fraudulently withdrawing client funds from a bank.

U.S. District Court Judge William H. Yohn scheduled sentencing for September 21, 2011. Sweeten faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison with a maximum possible sentence of 22 years, a fine of up to $500,000, full restitution of as much as $1,035,307.34, and up to three years of supervised release.

This case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise S. Wolf.