Woman Pleads Guilty to $800,000 Fraud

Published on January 29, 2025

Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, and Hanover Township Police Chief Michael Loock announce that Anna Marie Bustamante, 63, of Visalia, California, who was charged with second degree Theft, has plead guilty. 

On January 21, 2025, Bustamante plead guilty to Accusation 25-01-00056-A, charging second degree Theft, amended to third degree Theft in exchange for defendant’s guilty plea.  The State agreed to recommend 364 days in the Morris County Correctional Center as a condition of probation.  Bustamante defrauded the victim of $806,727.92, via a business email compromise, however, the victim was able to recover all but $5,000 of the funds stolen.  As such, as a condition of probation, the defendant will be required to pay the victim $5,000 to make the victim whole from this theft. 

Bustamante is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Robert Hanna on February 14, 2025.

Numerous law enforcement agencies participated in this investigation, including members of the Hanover Township Police Department, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office in California, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit.