South Boston Woman Indicted for Identity Theft

BOSTON - A South Boston woman was arrested today for using false Social Security numbers on a job application and an apartment rental application after she completed a prison sentence in a previous fraud case.

Dana Whidbee, a/k/a Dana De Alasei, 53, was charged with two counts of falsely representing a Social Security number. She is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell at 3:00 p.m.

According to court documents, in 2006, Whidbee was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud charges. Whidbee had posed as an agent for non-existent homebuyers and fraudulently obtained funds from various not-for-profit companies that were in the business of providing down-payment money to eligible buyers.

According to the indictment that was unsealed today, after her release from prison, Whidbee applied for a job on Sept. 16, 2013, using a false Social Security number. On May 17, 2014, she applied for an apartment using a false Social Security number.

The charge of falsely representing a Social Security number provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and David W. Hall, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Landry of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.