HANOVER TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A California woman has been arrested and charged with defrauding a victim in Hanover Township out of more than $800,000 in a sophisticated email scheme, authorities said.
Anna Marie Bustamante, 63, of Visalia, California, was charged with second-degree theft after investigators determined she executed a business email compromise scam in July, according to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.
Authorities allege that on July 27, 2023, Bustamante impersonated an authorized vendor and tricked the victim into wiring $806,727.92 to a fraudulent bank account that closely resembled the legitimate account of the intended recipient. The victim discovered the fraud on August 3, 2023, and reported it to the Hanover Township Police Department.
Bustamante is currently detained in California’s Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, awaiting extradition to New Jersey, where she will face court proceedings. The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office stated the investigation is ongoing, and the identity of the victim has not been disclosed.
“This arrest reflects the collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Hanover Township Police Department, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Financial Crimes Unit,” Prosecutor Robert Carroll said in a statement.
Authorities have not disclosed whether the stolen funds have been recovered.