BRIDGEPORT — A woman is headed to prison for her role in a fraud and identity theft scheme that affected more than 30 people.
The U.S. Attorney’s office sentenced Jamila Williams-Stevenson to four years behind bars after she pleaded guilty in December to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Prosecutors said Williams-Stevenson and co-defendant Lorena Coburn stole personal identifying information from patients at Yale New Haven Hospital, where Williams-Stevenson worked, and other victims and committed fraud using the information.
Prosecutors said following a search of Williams-Stevenson’s home and storage, they found more than 200 credit and debit cards in the names of various identity theft victims. The two suspects also obtained a life insurance policy in the amount of $75,000 in the name of an identity theft victim where Williams-Stevenson was named as the beneficiary on the policy, according to officials.
Forensic analysis of Williams-Stevenson’s iPhone, which was seized at the time of her arrest, revealed a series of text messages between her and Coburn discussing how they might be able to cause the death of a victim in order to collect on the life insurance policy, said officials.
A judge ordered Williams-Stevenson to pay restitution of $53,365.37 to various financial institutions and a university that suffered financial losses.
Coburn pleaded guilty to the same charges in November and is awaiting her sentencing. She is currently out on bail after posting a $100,000 bond.
