Identity thief sentenced to prison

WICHITA, KAN. - A Florida woman guilty of identity theft was sentenced to 42 months in prison and ordered to pay approximately $118,000 in restitution to compensate her victim.

According to court documents, Marlo Y. Quinones, 57, of Port Richey, Florida, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated identity theft.

Twice in February 2022, Quinones used the identity of another person to petition the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas to issue her unclaimed funds belonging to the victim. The victim didn't give Quinones consent to make these filings.

"When criminals use personal information to falsely impersonate you, they often steal not only your money, but also your peace of mind by turning your life upside down. Many victims spend years dealing with the havoc left in the aftermath of identity theft," said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. "We want people to know the federal government is actively working to prevent identity theft and to prosecute offenders when it happens."

"The bankruptcy system in this country was meant to help people get back on their feet and not to exploit it. The defendant deliberately and willfully took money for personal gain through fraud and deception," said FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod. "This sentencing should serve as a reminder that the FBI will relentlessly pursue those who design schemes to defraud our government."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Trustee Program investigated the case.

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