Former Federal Prosecutor Gets Slap on the Wrist For Stealing IDs to Gamble Online
Posted on: May 13, 2026, 12:55h.
Last updated on: May 13, 2026, 12:55h.
- A former federal prosecutor has pleaded guilty to five counts of identity theft
- Monica Dillon used the stolen identities to gamble online
- Dillon has been handed a pretrial diversion program that avoids jail and major fines
A former federal prosecutor who stole the identities of five people to gamble online won’t serve a day in prison.
On Tuesday, a federal judge accepted a plea and pretrial diversion agreement for plaintiff Monica Dillon. Dillon worked as a trial attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia from 2021 through 2024.
During her employment, Dillon led a team of federal prosecutors who pursued criminal charges against white-collar fraud, along with environmental, tax, and civil rights claims. Her tenure also included stealing the identities of others to falsify online gambling accounts.
West Virginia is one of only eight states where online casinos are legal and regulated. The federal complaint against Dillon did not specify which iGaming platform she utilized in setting up the fraudulent accounts.
Dillon was charged with five counts of identity theft, which carried a possible punishment of fines of up to $500,000 and an imprisonment term of 20 years. A federal judge, however, is allowing her to walk free.
Dillon Dodges Jail, Major Fines
Since Dillon worked in the federal prosecutor’s office in West Virginia, a federal judge and prosecutor from North Carolina’s Western District oversaw the case.
In exchange for her admission of guilt, Judge Kenneth Bell agreed to the special prosecutor’s recommendation that Dillon be admitted to a pretrial diversion program that includes 24 months of supervision overseen by the US Probation Office in the Southern District of West Virginia. She must also make $30,000 in restitution to her victims and pay the court $500, or $100 each for each felony count she pleaded guilty to.
Once her probation period concludes and the restitution payments are made, the settlement deal stipulates that all of the charges will be dismissed. The plea waives her right to an appeal.
Perhaps the most consequential outcome of Dillon’s ID theft is that she’s lost her license to practice law in West Virginia. The state’s Supreme Court accepted her voluntary disbarment in 2025.
Statements of Fact
The federal complaint against Dillon detailed that she stole the names, social security numbers, and dates of birth for the five victims to open iGaming accounts and make financial transactions in their names.
It is a felony in West Virginia to “knowingly use another person’s identifying information, without that person’s consent, with the intent to fraudulently represent that he or she is the other person for the purpose of making financial or credit transactions in the other person’s name.”
The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia did not put out a news release on the Dillon plea deal and sentencing.
No comments yet