Dayton woman accused of impersonating senior, stealing his pension

A Dayton woman is facing charges of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and use of another person’s Social Security number after she reportedly stole the identity of a 72-year-old man and stole his $919 monthly pension.

Melody L. Hudson, 38, reportedly used the victim’s personal information to divert his pension benefits to a bank account she controlled. The crimes took place between April and November of 2019, a release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio said.

Hudson allegedly called the pension agency and identified herself as a relative of the victim and had someone impersonate the victim on the phone call with the agency at least once.

Bank fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, use of another person’s Social Security number is punishable by up to five years in prison and aggravated identity theft is punishable by a mandatory two-year prison term, which must be served consecutive to any other prison time, the release said.

Hudson, who has been held in the Butler County Jail since her Monday night arrest, is scheduled to appear in court Thursday for a detention hearing, the release said. The case is being prosecuted as part of the Justice Department’s elder fraud initiative. The department launched the National Elder Fraud Hotline in March to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The hotline’s toll free number is 833-FRAUD-11.

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