Identity Thief Arrested After Stealing More Than $22,000 from First Responder

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Identity theft is a despicable crime. To think that someone would exploit a first responder’s identity is abhorrent. I am thankful for the work of FDLE and my Office of Statewide Prosecution for finding this criminal and bringing her to the front steps of justice.”

During a search of Chatfield’s residence, agents found stolen personal identification information, including Way2Go cards, other credit cards and more than $8,000 in United States currency. Using the first responder’s identity alone, Chatfield obtained more than $22,000 from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. The first responder claims no knowledge of Chatfield or any business in Miami-Dade, where most transactions and withdrawals were made.

Filing unemployment under a different identity, Chatfield used Way2Go cards to make withdrawals from ATMs around the city of Miami.

Chatfield is charged with organized fraud; a second-degree felony, criminal use of personal identification information; a second-degree felony and reemployment assistance fraud; a third-degree felony.

Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Whitney Mackay and Kaley Austin-Aronson from the cyber fraud enforcement unit are prosecuting the case.