Seattle Mariner's Wife Allegedly Spent Nearly $180K on Someone Else's Debit Card
Maria Peguero accused of making $180K in fradulent purchases.
Oct. 20, 2013— -- The wife of a Seattle Mariners baseball player is facing federal wire fraud charges after allegedly running up $180,000 in purchases on another person's debit card.
Maria Jacqueline Peguero, 22, wife of Mariners outfielder Carlos Peguero, was charged earlier this month with three counts of wire fraud, according to federal court documents.
According to the investigating agent, Peguero made 60 online purchases from Saks department store in 2012 using a debit card that was not hers.
Woman Sentenced to 8 Months in Newtown Fraud Case
After being arresed, Peguero was released on bond.
Investigators said photos that Peguero posted on Twitter appeared to show the 22-year-old with the same merchandise that had been purchased online.
In one photo, Peguero is seen sitting next to a $1,750 Gucci purse that had been originally purchased online by a "Jackie Peguero," and other photos show her wearing blouses and a skirt worth hundreds of dollars, according to court documents.
Peguero was able to get the credit card information after staying with the alleged victim for a few days in May 2012, according to court documents. The alleged victim told investigators that she knew Peguero for two years and considered her a friend. A second alleged victim was described as a co-worker of Peguero's husband.
Carlos Peguero told investigators that he believed his wife's brother worked at Saks and that was how she had received all the merchandise. He has not been implicated in the alleged crime.
'Antiques Roadshow' Dealers Accused of Fraud
According to court documents, one of the two unidentified alleged victims told investigators she asked Peguero to help her make purchases online in May 2012 because her English was limited, but that she had not made the extensive purchaess from Saks in the ensuing months.
Investigators said Peguero initially told them she had permission from the card's owner to buy merchandise. However, according to the court filings when asked why the victim "was being so generous [Peguero] told us she did not want to talk to [investigators] anymore."
Calls to a number listed in Peguero's name and to her court-appointed attorney were not immediately returned.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
