Former congressional staffer pleads guilty to using access to Congressperson’s bank account to pay her own credit card bills

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria woman pled guilty today to wire fraud after misusing the financial information of her former employer, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

According to court documents, Courtney Melissa Hruska, 40, was employed on the member’s staff from August 2015 to January 2022. To fulfill part of Hruska’s official duties and responsibilities, the member entrusted Hruska with the member’s personal credit card and bank account information. On Jan. 30, 2022, Hruska left the office for a new position with a federal agency.

Without authorization, Hruska retained the member’s personal credit card and bank account information. Between Aug. 19, 2023, and July 30, 2024, Hruska used the member’s bank account information to make payments towards the balance of Hruska’s own personal credit card bills on 10 separate occasions. The member did not use electronic banking and did not receive immediate alerts from the bank. Because more than a year had lapsed between Hruska’s first fraudulent transaction and the member’s discovery of the theft, the member recovered less than nine percent of the stolen funds in fraud compensation.

In total, Hruska caused a loss to the Representative of at least $22,865.07.

Hruska is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General investigated this case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Drucker is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-57.