LOS ANGELES – An Antelope Valley woman who allegedly used the promise of roles in bogus remakes of the movies “Cocoon” and “On Golden Pond” as bait in an identity-theft scheme targeting senior citizens pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges.
Dena Peterman, 32, of Littlerock, allegedly stole Social Security numbers and other personal identifying information that was used to commit unemployment insurance fraud.
She was named in an eight-count indictment that charges her with conspiracy, aggravated identity theft and six counts of mail fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Court documents allege Peterman and others offered victims an opportunity to be cast in remakes of the 1985 film “Cocoon” and 1981’s “On Golden Pond”’ in order to obtain their personal information.
Once they had received the data, Peterman and co-conspirators created bogus companies supposedly related to the movie industry, submitted false wage information for the victims and others whom they falsely claimed worked for the companies and filed bogus unemployment insurance claims in their names, federal prosecutors allege.
The state Employment Development Department subsequently provided unemployment insurance benefits in the names of those individuals through debit cards that were mailed to addresses that Peterman or her co-conspirators controlled, according to the indictment.
As a result of the alleged scheme, investigators believe the EDD lost about $500,000.
Peterman was arrested May 18, and a magistrate judge ordered she be held without bail. A July 15 status conference is scheduled before U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee.
If convicted of all charges, Peterman could face more than 25 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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Previous related story: AV woman charged in elderly fraud scheme
William says
@Tim Scott
It’s even worse than that. Our society in the past few decades has been motivated by greed more than anything else, whether it’s hedge fund managers or drug dealers or burglers.
In a consumer oriented economy, it’s not about contribution but accumulation of money and stuff.
Work hard, buy a house, put money into a retirement account and a recession brought about by factors not in your control can wipe you out. So, survival and greed and selfishness in a dog-eat-dog economy doesn’t really provide motivation for contribution. But, getting while the getting is good does motivate selfishness and greed after a while.
Why do we expect higher morals and idealistic behavior from those on the bottom rungs of the economic ladder when we see unethical and even illegal and hugely damaging behavior from those at the top go unpunished? It doesn’t excuse the poorest from committing crimes but, somehow, those whose actions devestate an entire economy get off fairly easy to do it again.
It works to have integrity no matter where you are positioned economically but even a person working 2 minimum wage jobs with integrity can be undermined by someone further up the ladder who doesn’t operate with integrity. The reverse isn’t quite so damaging. A cashier at fast food franchise who steals condiments doesn’t hurt the billion dollar corporation in the same way the CEO can harm thousands of its employees.
Yet, which of those 2 persons get the harsher treatment from the justice system for breaking the law? And, which gets a harsher judgement in court of public opinion.
JR says
Does she got an authorization from the original film company that produced the original film?
Rankin says
The woman apparently has brains, talent, and skill that could have been EMPLOYED legitimately. Now it might be wasted for years…..
Tim Scott says
Our society is not geared towards motivating people with brains, talent, and skill to contribute. It is far more practical to appeal to the vast herds of the average and ordinary and just incarcerate the exceptions.
dumbandblind says
Very well said Tim.