A 43-year-old Texas woman is headed to federal prison for more than five years after pulling off a multi-million dollar identity theft scheme in Southwest Florida.
Kristin Cara Kunstler of Amarillo was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kyle C. Dudek to 61 months in prison after pleading guilty last October to theft of government money and aggravated identity theft.
The case dates back to the beginning of 2025. According to federal court records, Kunstler walked into a Naples bank branch on January 2 and opened a fraudulent account.
She didn’t use her own name; instead, she posed as a victim, using that person’s date of birth and driver’s license number without their knowledge. Once the account was open, she deposited a U.S. Treasury check made out to the victim for a staggering $2,797,083.
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As the sole signer on the account, Kunstler began moving the money quickly. By mid-February, investigators found she had already withdrawn at least $1.5 million. Prosecutors stated she used those funds for her own personal benefit and for the benefit of another individual.
In addition to her prison time, the court issued a forfeiture order requiring Kunstler to pay back the full $2,797,083.
United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the sentencing this week, marking the end of a joint investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
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