Alicia Newby, 29, was arrested Saturday at her Galewood, Chicago apartment, and charged with continuing a financial crime enterprise amid allegations that she used other people's identities to accumulate upwards of $12,000 in fraudulent charges, Page Sixreports.
While prosecutors wouldn't divulge the names of the people who had their identities allegedly stolen by Newby, one name was provided, and it was Empire star Taraji P. Henson. The actress' manager contacted Chicago police last August upon discovering $4,000 worth of unauthorized charges being shipped to two residences located in the South Side that had no affiliation to Henson.
Prosecutors believe Newby, who is currently carrying her seventh child, was able to steal Henson's identity after hacking her email account.
Chicago woman reportedly stole actress Taraji P. Henson's identity https://t.co/w82EhJbeCh pic.twitter.com/sFAYxBP4pj
Newby is also being accused of defrauding a number of companies, including JP Morgan Chase, American Express, and PayPal. Assistant State Attorney James Costello alleges that a postal worker refused to deliver packages to one of her South Side addresses in September over concerns of potential identity theft. Costello says Newby ended up retrieving the packages after she caused "havoc" at the post office.
Newby has been ordered to submit to electronic monitoring following her release on a $10,000 signature bail. She is due back in court next week.
