A Connecticut woman was arraigned Wednesday in federal court in Burlington on charges accusing her of a fraud scheme and of using someone else’s information to apply for a passport in Vermont.
Alison Gu, of Cheshire, is accused of bank fraud, identity fraud and making false statements in a passport application, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Gu allegedly used several aliases on loan and refinancing applications to the Bank of Bennington, First National Bank of America and Emigrant Mortgage Co. Court papers say she got more than $1 million through the applications between March 2015 and September.
Gu allegedly used the Social Security numbers of dead people and forged several records in her applications, including forging the signature of an American consular official in China.
She is also charged with using someone else’s identity information to apply for a U.S. passport in Vermont.
If convicted, Gu could face as much as 30 years in prison on the bank fraud charge and up to 10 years for false statements on the passport application. She would also face a mandatory two-year sentence if convicted of using someone else’s identity on that application.
She was arrested June 13 in Connecticut. She was released on conditions after her arraignment.
