Brandy Iglesias was arrested Saturday in Contra Costa County, she's accused of using the names of convicted killers, including Scott Peterson, to collect more than $145,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits.
The office didn't immediately say whether Iglesias had a defense attorney who could speak on her behalf or provide details of her court appearance.
One set of charges was for using Peterson's name to claim $18,562 from the state Employment Development Department in June 2020. Peterson was convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and unborn child and dumping their bodies into San Francisco Bay on Christmas Eve 2002. But a judge is deciding whether Peterson must have a new trial because of juror misconduct.
Iglesias is also charged with filing for unemployment in the name of Cary Stayner in 2020, collecting $20,194. Stayner confessed to killing three women who were sightseeing in Yosemite National Park in 1999. Peterson and Stayner were among numerous inmates who had claims filed in their names, prosecutors said in 2020.Iglesias was employed by a private company that contracted with San Quentin State Prison, where Peterson and Stayner are housed, and may have used her job to get access to prisoners' personal information, prosecutors said.She was arrested Saturday in Contra Costa County by a team of agents from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
"Don't let the infamous names distract you from who this crime really hurt - the most vulnerable in our society," Attorney General Rob Bonta said in announcing the charges.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Woman charged with benefits scam using Scott Peterson's nameA California woman was charged with using the names of convicted killers, including Scott Peterson, to collect more than $145,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits — a small but headline-grabbing part of more than $20 billion stolen in similar scams during the coronavirus pandemic, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Read more »
Identities of infamous killers Cary Stayner and Scott Peterson allegedly stolen in EDD fraud scamA woman has been arrested after she allegedly stole the identities of convicted murderers Scott Peterson and Cary Stayner to steal more than $145,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits.
Read more »
Stockton serial killings: Man charged with three murdersA man who authorities say used a ghost gun in five homicides in Stockton, California, from April 2021 till late last month was formally charged with murder Tues
Read more »