Charlotte Woman Is Charged With Using Stolen Identities To Obtain Multiple College Student Loans For Family Members

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A grand jury has charged Tammy Cox, 52, of Charlotte, with multiple federal charges for stealing the identities of her co-workers to obtain college student loans for family members, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Cox was in federal court this morning for her initial appearance.

Jason Krizmanich, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees Charlotte, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today's announcement.

According to allegations in the indictment, from August 2019 through at least July 2023, Cox engaged in a scheme to steal the identities of five co-workers, including their Social Security Numbers, which she used to fraudulently obtain college student loans for family members. The indictment alleges that Cox falsely claimed that her co-workers were cosigners on the loan applications and falsely represented that her co-workers had agreed to be equally responsible for the loans. The indictment further alleges that, during the scheme, Cox fraudulently applied for at least 13 college student loans seeking more than $250,000.

Cox is charged with one count of wire fraud affecting a financial institution and seven counts of financial institution fraud. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Cox is also charged with five counts of disclosure of Social Security Numbers, which carry a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charged offense.

The charges against Cox are allegations and the defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The USPIS and CMPD investigated the case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.