Kanawha County Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fraud

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that Holly Urlahs, also known as Holly Anderson, 32, of Elkview, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for bank fraud and forging a judge’s signature.  Urlahs will also serve a three year term of supervised release upon completion of her prison sentence.

“Urlahs committed very serious crimes,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “She spun a tangled web of deceit for which she will now spend the next two years in federal prison.”

Urlahs previously pled guilty and admitted that she falsely claimed to have sued Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) and was expecting a large financial settlement from her lawsuit. Under these false pretenses, she set out to defraud financial institutions and an insurance company. As part of her fraudulent scheme, Urlahs altered a $100 cashier’s check to reflect an amount over $8.4 million. She also provided fake documents with forged signatures and a personal check for $1 million, although she knew she did not have sufficient funds in her account, to an insurance company to obtain an annuity contract. Urlahs’ check was returned for insufficient funds.

The investigation was conducted by the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations and the West Virginia Insurance Commissioner’s Special Investigations Division. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson handled the prosecution.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00125.

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