NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Portsmouth woman who faked her own death in connection to an elaborate bank fraud scheme pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy and fraud charges.
Court documents say Alexandra Hatcher, 49, conspired with her husband, Albert Hatcher, Jr., to collect on life insurance policies they obtained. After traveling to Washington state and changing her legal name in August 2015, Hatcher and her husband submitted false death claims on at least two of these policies.
Hatcher created fake death certificates and published a death notice in the Daily Press in support of these claims. When insurers denied their claims, Hatcher and her husband began a cross-country fraud scheme and fraudulently obtained at least 20 new and newer-used luxury vehicles by presenting worthless and counterfeit checks and forged documents to car dealerships in several states. They also resold vehicles to other dealerships for cash.
Hatcher used her new legal name to purchase, title and resell vehicles.
Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, possessing and uttering a counterfeit security of an organization and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. They both face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
Hatcher will be sentenced on Feburary 12, 2018, while Hatcher, Jr., will be sentenced on January 22, 2018.