Woman Charged After Stealing Dead Baby’s Identity And Fraudently Receiving $1.5 Million From COVID Relief Fund

Ava Misseldine, a 49-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, has been apprehended in Utah on federal charges. This is in connection to stealing the identity of a baby, Brie Bourgeois, who died in infancy.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Southern Ohio claims that Misseldine used the infant’s identity to get a passport. It was also used to get a student pilot license and to gain employment as a flight attendant. To add, Misseldine was able to get enrolled at The Ohio State University. She also got pandemic assistance, using the stolen identity.

Documents note that Misseldine stole the identity of the baby who died in 1997.

In 2003, Misseldine submitted an application for an Ohio identification card, a social security card, and a driver’s license. This was all done using the deceased baby’s identity. It also came three years after she had been freed from prison for theft, forgery, and an attempted escape.

Misseldine claimed that she was in need of the passport in order to fly internationally as a flight attendant for JetSelect. There, she was hired under a fraudulent identity.

Officials say that Misseldine continued to use her real name and fake name for 13 years after that. When she attempted to renew her passport in 2021, an investigation was started.

It was then discovered that in 2020, Misseldine got close to $1.5 million in fraudulent PPP loans, using both identities. The businesses that she listed on the application included bakeries, Sugar Inc. Cupcakes & Tea Salon and KoKo Tea Salon & Bakery.

With the funds, authorities say that Misseldine bought a house for $647,500, in Utah, and a $327,500 house, in Michigan.

Misseldine faces 2 to 30 years in prison for passport fraud, social security number fraud, aggravated identity theft, and fraud in connection with an emergency.