Tammy Twiss Pleads Not Guilty to $20K Wire, Bank Fraud Scheme

A Kadoka woman is facing federal prison after being indicted on 16 felony counts tied to a calculated fraud spree that drained over $20,000 from her ex-husband’s parents’ bank account. Tammy Twiss, a/k/a Tammy Eisenbraun, age 38, allegedly used stolen identities and electronic transfers to bleed the victims dry — all while hiding behind familial trust.

On November 16, 2016, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Twiss with eight counts of Wire Fraud, eight counts of Bank Fraud, and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on November 18, 2016, and entered a plea of not guilty. The case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen, is set for trial on January 24, 2017.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Twiss exploited her access to personal information, using her ex-husband’s name and the banking credentials of his parents to initiate unauthorized wire transfers. The fraudulent transactions pulled more than $20,000 from the victims’ accounts through electronic withdrawals — a breach that investigators say betrayed both legal and familial boundaries.

If convicted, Twiss faces up to 30 years in federal custody and a $1,000,000 fine. Additional penalties include 5 years of supervised release, a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and court-ordered restitution. Each count of wire and bank fraud carries a maximum 30-year sentence; the identity theft charge mandates a consecutive 5-year term.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, an agency often at the forefront of complex financial crime probes. Authorities emphasize that the charges are allegations, and Tammy Twiss is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Still, the evidence — centered on digital footprints and account access — could prove damning.

Twiss was released on bond pending trial, but the case has already cast a long shadow over the tight-knit community of Kadoka, South Dakota. With trial set for January, federal prosecutors are preparing to lay out what they call a clear pattern of deception, theft, and betrayal. The courtroom showdown looms as a stark reminder: fraud hits closest to home.