A former Ohio woman was arrested in Utah on federal charges of stealing the identity of an infant who died, according to ABC13.
Ava Misseldine, 49, a former Ohio resident, has been charged with passport fraud, Social Security number fraud, aggravated identity theft, and fraud in connection with an emergency, according to a criminal complaint.
Misseldine managed to steal the identity of an infant who died in 1979 and is laid to rest in a Columbus cemetery, according to court papers; the identity she used was Brie Bourgeois.
She reportedly used the forged identity to obtain a passport, a student pilot license, a job as a flight attendant, admission to The Ohio State University, and pandemic relief loans.
Misseldine allegedly used the stolen identity to obtain an Ohio ID and a Social Security card in 2003.
She reportedly used the stolen identity to acquire a student pilot certificate and a US passport in 2007. According to the paperwork, she desired the passport to travel globally for JetSelect as a flight attendant. She was working under a false name here.
Misseldine reportedly continued to acquire identification papers in both her true and false identities for the next 13 years. The investigation began in 2021, when she attempted to renew the forged passport.
Misseldine reportedly used both identities to obtain approximately $1.5 million in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans in 2020. Among her loan applications are bakeries and catering businesses such as Sugar Inc. Cupcakes & Tea Salon in Dublin and Koko Tea Salon & Bakery in New Albany and Easton. The loans were accompanied by fake documents.
