Anchorage Woman Indicted for Wire and Bank Fraud Scheme Involving Mail Theft and Aggravated Identity Theft

An Anchorage woman, Dusty Starr, 47, was arrested after a federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment alleging her involvement in a wire and bank fraud scheme. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is actively seeking additional information regarding the case.

Between February 2021 and February 2022, Starr is accused of executing a scheme to defraud and obtain money through materially false and fraudulent pretenses. Court documents allege that Starr used stolen identities to apply for pandemic-related rent relief funds. In one instance in July 2021, she fraudulently created an email account using a victim’s stolen information and applied for rent relief using a fraudulent business certificate in the victim’s name. Between July and November 2021, three payments totaling over $17,000 were made to a bank account Starr opened under the victim’s identity. Similar actions were taken to obtain additional funds, with the total estimated loss from these fraudulent applications exceeding $47,500.

Additionally, Starr is accused of bank fraud by forging checks from Alaska organizations to steal funds from their accounts. In September 2021, she deposited a forged check from a religious organization’s account into an account in her name, totaling $918. The Alaska State Troopers (AST) and the financial institution identified five fraudulent checks and one unauthorized electronic funds transfer, with the religious organization’s total estimated loss exceeding $6,250. Starr allegedly used similar methods to steal additional funds from other organizations.

Starr faces charges including three counts of wire fraud, three counts of bank fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, and two counts of possession of stolen mail. In the spirit of Micah 6:8, which emphasizes justice and walking humbly with God, this case underscores the importance of accountability and the impact of fraudulent actions on victims and communities.

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