Paris Dixon, Conspiring to Illegally Access Funds, Cleveland OH, 2023

CLEVELAND – A brazen scheme to siphon $80,000 from grocery giant Giant Eagle has landed three Cleveland residents in federal court. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced indictments against Paris Dixon, age 28; Sierra Hodges, age 27; and Linda Howard, age 25, all accused of conspiring to illegally access the company’s payroll account.

According to the indictment, the trio allegedly operated their fraud from November 8, 2008, to August 11, 2010. They’re accused of making unauthorized wire transfers from the Giant Eagle Corporation’s employee payroll account, using the stolen funds to purchase goods and services for themselves, family, and friends. The total haul: roughly $80,000, a significant loss for the regional supermarket chain.

Paris Dixon faces the most severe charges, including one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, seven counts of wire fraud, one count of credit card fraud, and a damning charge of aggravated identity theft. The indictment details that between January 13, 2009, and February 12, 2010, Dixon allegedly used unauthorized access devices to obtain over $1,000 worth of goods and services. Furthermore, she’s accused of knowingly using the identities of others without lawful authority during this period.

Sierra Hodges is indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of wire fraud, two counts of credit card fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The government alleges that Hodges, from January 13, 2009, to August 11, 2010, also used unauthorized access devices to illegally obtain over $1,000 in value and misused the identities of others in the process. Linda Howard, while facing fewer charges – one count of conspiracy to commit Wire Fraud, three counts of Wire Fraud, and one count of Credit Card Fraud – is accused of similar unauthorized device use between November 2008 and December 2009, resulting in over $1,000 in fraudulently obtained goods.

Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Sassé is prosecuting the case, building it on an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service. While the indictments represent a formal accusation, it’s crucial to remember that these are allegations at this stage. Each defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, where the government bears the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Sentencing, should the defendants be convicted, will be determined by the court after considering individual factors like prior criminal records (if any), their specific roles in the alleged scheme, and the nature of the offenses. However, the government clarifies that any sentence handed down will not exceed the statutory maximums. This case serves as a stark reminder that even seemingly faceless corporate fraud impacts real people and carries serious consequences.

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