Home / Crime and Justice / Influencer's $1.5M COVID Scam Lands 16 Years
Influencer's $1.5M COVID Scam Lands 16 Years
1 Jan
Summary
- Ex-influencer Danielle Miller sentenced to 16 years in Florida prison.
- She scammed $1.5 million in COVID disaster loans using stolen identities.
- Miller previously served five years for similar federal charges.
Danielle Miller, once a self-proclaimed 'con artist,' received a 16-year sentence in Florida state prison for her role in defrauding the government of $1.5 million in COVID-19 disaster loans. She pleaded guilty to 38 counts of fraudulently using personal identification information, continuing a pattern of identity theft.
Miller's scams escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she exploited stolen identities to establish bank accounts and acquire loans. These funds were used for lavish expenses, including significant rent at a Miami villa. This most recent sentence is consecutive to a previous five-year federal prison term for related wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.
Prosecutors detailed Miller's extensive network, which included communication with individuals in Nigeria for obtaining personal information through mail theft and phishing. Despite her prior conviction and surrender of $1.3 million, state prosecutors argued her behavior hadn't changed, citing a jailhouse phone call outlining another scheme.
