West Virginia Woman Sentenced for Coupon Fraud Scheme Targeting Kmart Stores

PITTSBURGH - A West Virginia resident has been sentenced in federal court to three years of probation, including six months of home detention, on her conviction for wire fraud, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Tanya Thompson, aka Tanya Whetzel of Martinsburg, West Virginia.

According to information presented to the court, Thompson used fraudulent electronic coupons on her mobile device to purchase third party gift cards and prepaid credit cards at various Kmart stores. From June 2017 until December 2017, Thompson traveled to approximately 25 states and dozens of Kmart stores to use the fraudulent coupons. The total loss to Kmart was $94,977.50.

Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Kaufman commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Thompson.