Missouri woman poses as 24-year-old, enrolls in college and racks up debt, feds say

Laura A. Oglesby enrolled in college, received thousands in financial aid and loans and spent a few hundred dollars on books.

But the 48-year-old did so by stealing the identity of a woman half her age, federal prosecutors say.

On Dec. 6, the Missouri woman pleaded guilty to Social Security fraud after using a stolen identity to enroll in a college and apply for financial aid and grants, prosecutors said in a news release.

Oglesby is accused of fraudulently applying for a Social Security card in January 2016 and using the identity of another person, who was identified in documents as “L.A.H,” the release said.

Oglesby’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.

Oglesby, a resident of Mountain View, Missiouri also applied for a driver’s license under the new identity, prosecutors said in her plea agreement.

Prosecutors said a year later, in February 2017, Oglesby used the Social Security card and identity that did not belong to her to enroll in a university, identified as “University A,” court documents said.

She then received thousands in financial aid through grants, loans and finance charges and spent $337 on books at the campus bookstore. Prosecutors say she owes the university $17,521.08.

“The defendants actions resulted in substantial financial harm to University A,” the plea agreement read.

As part of her plea agreement, Oglesby has agreed to pay the restitution to University A, in addition to restitution to the person whose identity she stole, the release said.

She pleaded guilty to one count of intentionally furnishing false information to the Social Security Administration, the release said.

Oglesby is subject to a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison, the release said.

Oglesby was in the news in 2018 when she was accused of stealing the identity of the 24-year-old woman with the “L.A.H.” initials. Police in Mountain View, Missouri had arrested her for financial fraud and for embezzlement of over $25,000 from bench warrants out of Arkansas.

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