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Ex-Columbus woman admits to stealing identity of deceased baby, $1.5M COVID relief fraud


Ava Misseldine, 49, was arrested on federal charges related to stealing the identity of a baby who died as an infant, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. (U.S. Attorney's Office)
Ava Misseldine, 49, was arrested on federal charges related to stealing the identity of a baby who died as an infant, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. (U.S. Attorney's Office)
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A former Columbus woman pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to 16 counts of wire and passport fraud.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Ava Misseldine, 49, stole the identity of a baby who died as an infant and used the infant's identity to get a passport, a student pilot license, a job as a flight attendant, and pandemic relief loans.

As part of her plea, the Department of Justice said Misseldine will pay more than $1.5 million in restitution and forfeit her home in Utah and profits from the recent sale of her Michigan home. The DOJ said both homes were purchased with stolen government money.

Wire fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, and passport fraud carries a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

According to court documents, Misseldine stole the identity of a baby who died in 1979 and is buried in a cemetery in Columbus.

In 2003, she applied for an Ohio ID, social security card, and driver's license using the stolen identity. Using the stolen identity, she was able to get a student pilot certification and a U.S. passport in 2007.

The DOJ said Misseldine continued to get identity documents in both her real name and fake names for the next 13 years.

An investigation was launched in 2021 when she tried to renew the fraudulent passport.

According to the DOJ, Misseldine received about $1.5 million in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans in 2020 using both her real and fake identities.

Her loan applications list her businesses as various bakeries and catering companies, including her former bakeries Sugar Inc. Cupcakes & Tea Salon in Dublin and Koko Tea Salon & Bakery in New Albany and at Easton.

The DOJ said Misseldine used the PPP money to purchase a home for more than $640,000 next to Zion National Park in Utah and a home in Michigan for more than $327,000.

In 2021, she moved to Utah and got driver's licenses in both names. She was arrested in Utah in June 2022.


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