Texas woman guilty of bank fraud in Mississippi and at least 5 other states
A Texas woman pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to commit bank fraud that resulted in the theft of thousands of dollars from banks in Mississippi and elsewhere.
Cristina Michelle Husbands, 48, of Dallas, stole at least $128,300 from customer accounts at Regions Bank branches in Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Jackson, Pearl and Richland.
In addition, Husbands is accused of committing the same crimes at other Regions Bank branches in Alabama, Colorado, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas and possibly other states, the records say.
In an 11-count federal indictment in Mississippi, Husbands was charged with conspiracy and ten counts of bank fraud for stealing money from Regions Bank branches between November 2021 and April 2022.
In federal court in Gulfport on Monday, Husbands pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. In exchange for her plea, the government dismissed the remaining ten charges. She is facing a prison sentence of up to 30 years and up to a $1 million fine.
Judge Sul Ozerden ordered Husbands held pending her sentencing set for July 25.
According to authorities, Husbands was able to commit the fraud with the help of other unnamed defendants who assisted her in creating fraudulent identification papers to gain access to the accounts.
After obtaining the fraudulent paperwork, Husbands went to various Regions Bank branches to make withdrawals.
During her plea hearing, Husbands suggested that she was forced at times to take part in the conspiracy and also said that she never cashed some of the checks she obtained as a result of the fraud at various financial institutions.
In Mississippi, at least four people fell victim two people fell victim to the fraud. Here ‘a look at some of the fraudulent transactions in Mississippi:
On Jan. 12, 2022, Husbands obtained two cashier’s checks totaling $16,000 from a home equity line of credit loan of the customer, S.S., from the Regions Bank branch in Richland in Rankin County.
.On Jan. 12, 2022, Husbands obtained two cashier’s checks totaling $15,700 from the home equity line of credit loan of customer, S.S. from the Regions Bank branch in Jackson in Hinds County.
On Jan. 13, 2022, Husbands obtained two cashier’s checks totaling $16,100 from the home equity line of credit loan of customer, A.W., at a Regions Bank branch in Pearl in Rankin County.
On Jan. 13, 2022, Husbands obtained two cashier’s checks totaling $16,300 from a home equity line of credit loan of customer A.W., along with $13,000 in cash from the same account holder’s account at the Regions Bank branch in Pearl in Rankin County.
On Jan. 13, 2022, Husbands obtained $16,100 cash from the home equity line of credit loan of S.S. at the Regions Bank branch in Brandon in Rankin County.
On Jan. 14, 2022, Husbands obtained $17,000 from the home equity line of credit loan for victim A.W. at the Regions Bank branch in Hattiesburg in Forrest County.
On Jan. 19, 2022, Husbands obtained $4,000 in cash from the saving account of A.W. at the Regions Bank branch in Gulfport in Harrison County.
On Jan. 20, 2022, Husbands obtained two cashier’s checks totaling $18,800 from A.W.’s home equity line of credit loan and $700 in cash from the same account at the Regions Bank branch in Gulfport in Harrison County.
In other cases, Husbands obtained cashier’s checks and cash from at least two other people identified during the plea hearing.
At the time of Husbands’ arrest on federal charges in Mississippi, she was being held at the Hays County jail in San Marcos, Texas, on charges of of fraud, forgery, possession of forging instruments, identity theft, property theft and evading arrest.
