A St. Louis County woman has been indicted on multiple charges, including wire fraud and mortgage fraud. Shirley Waller, 42, faces three counts of wire fraud, two counts of mortgage fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
According to the indictment, Waller allegedly misused a Paycheck Protection Program loan for personal expenses such as flights to Ghana, Germany, and Jamaica. She also reportedly falsified information on a home loan application worth over $196,000.
The indictment further accuses Waller of assisting scammers who convinced a 71-year-old woman she was in an online relationship with a U.S. military surgeon. The victim was directed to send $30,000 to Waller’s address. The shipment was tracked by several IP addresses in Nigeria.
Charges are accusations and do not imply guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use,” stated Ruth Mendonça of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Mail theft charges carry potential penalties of up to five years in prison or a $250,000 fine.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Town and Country Police Department, and FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is handling prosecution.
