A 23-year-old woman from Houston, Texas, named Jaysha Victorian, has admitted to taking part in a large fraud scheme that involved millions of dollars. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, a serious federal crime. This announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Victorian worked for a contractor that provided services to a national bank. From late 2020 to early 2021, she used her insider access to the bank’s systems to do something illegal. She loaded money onto prepaid debit cards using fake information. These cards were part of programs that provided unemployment benefits, including from the state of California. These benefits were meant to help people who had lost their jobs, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But instead of going to real people in need, the funds were stolen. The debit cards were given to different individuals, who then used them to take out cash at ATMs and buy things at stores. In total, Victorian helped add fake money to at least 187 different cards, with the total amount reaching about $8.6 million.
Massive Fraud Sends 4 Real Estate Investors Including Puretz, Silber and Schulman to Prison
Millions Vanished Before the Bank Noticed
The scheme moved very quickly. By the time the bank realized something was wrong and froze the cards, more than $7.6 million had already been spent or taken out in cash. That means most of the stolen money was already gone. The people who had the cards made withdrawals from ATMs, swiped them in stores, and spent the money before anyone could stop them.
Victorian wasn’t just helping others—she also took part in the spending herself. She admitted that she used one of the cards to take out $1,000 from an ATM at a bank branch in Houston. Investigators also found that she personally received about $300,000 in cash for her role in the crime.
This wasn’t just a small mistake or accident. This was a well-organized plan to steal large amounts of money. And because the funds came from government unemployment programs, it means that the money was supposed to help people struggling during the pandemic. Instead, it ended up in the hands of people committing fraud.
Brandon Becker Sentenced to Seven Years for $19 Million Fraud
Investigation and Upcoming Sentencing
Multiple government agencies came together to investigate this case. These included the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Houston Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General – COVID Fraud Unit, and the U.S. Department of Labor. Their hard work helped uncover the scheme and collect the evidence needed to bring charges.
Now that Victorian has pleaded guilty, the case is moving forward toward sentencing. U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen will decide her punishment on July 7. She could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. However, the exact punishment will be decided by the judge at the sentencing hearing.
For now, Victorian is not in jail. She has been allowed to stay free on bond, which means she can remain out of custody while she waits for her sentencing.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad Gray and Karen Lansden, who are presenting the government’s case in court.
This case shows how someone with trusted access to bank systems can use that access to do serious harm. It also highlights how quickly millions of dollars can be taken and spent when security is broken. Law enforcement worked together to catch those responsible, and now the legal system will decide what happens next.
