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The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Using it for almost two years before the police arrested her, a woman “bought” the identity of another Chattanooga woman.
The victim of the identity theft is now speaking out.
Jessica Andino-Banegas has been arrested for the criminal impersonation of Megan White.
“She admitted that two and a half years ago, she bought my information about my social security number card, driver’s license, birthday, name, everything,” said White.
An arrest report from December 12 says a Chattanooga police officer responded to a call from White, claiming that someone who worked for Horizon Stone had stolen her identity.
News Channel 9 reports that after receiving a letter from the Department of Labor saying that she would be audited for her work history and showing that she had been making money from Horizon Stone since November of 2020, White realized it was serious.
“You know, we made a joke about it, ‘your identity got stolen,'” said White.
White told police she had never worked for Horizon Stone, so she went to speak with management there on December 9th.
They reported that the company would be looking into who was working there with her name and identity. A police officer spoke with the business’s CEO who said that someone with White’s identity applied and was employed in November 2020.
Officers were told that a background check was run on Andino-Banegas, which she passed, and that she had been working for them with no problems.
Andino-Banegas told police she was from Guatemala and needed a job to support herself and her family, and she searched online for the information she could use.
“I’m so sorry, I have three kids,” said Andino-Banegas.
She used the information to apply at Horizon Stone, as she thought it was fake.
White, however, feels Andino-Banegas knew what she was doing.
“I don’t feel sorry for somebody who knew what they were doing,” said White.
Andino-Banegas was charged with criminal impersonation, as the CPD Fraud Division determined this was not a case of fraud.
White does not think that is enough. She wants Horizon Stone to be held accountable.
“If Horizon Stone had done their part as an employer to process her and her background and all of that, they would have caught it then,” said White.
White is pursuing litigation against Horizon Stone.
Andino-Banegas is no longer in custody as she has made bond.
