Community Corner

Bonnie Sweeten Sentenced to 100 Months

Hoax Mom Bonnie Sweeten learned her fate on charges of fraud today.

Bonnie Sweeten, 40, formerly of Feasterville, was sentenced today to 100 months, or eight years, in prison for fraud schemes and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,091,831 and a special assessment of $200. Sweeten remains in federal custody.

A federal judge ruled that  from business associates and family members before reporting a fake carjacking and fleeing to Disney World with her daughter. 

According to a press release issued by the U.S. Attornery's Office, Sweeten stole funds from family members, from the law office where she had been employed, and from the law firm’s clients.  She used the identity of another person and posed as another person while using false identification and forging signatures on various documents including a property settlement. Additionally, Sweeten stole the identity of a friend and fellow employee and used the identity to facilitate her flight from the jurisdiction.

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Sweeten also forged a signature of a judge on a court order for the purpose of fraudulently withdrawing client funds from a bank. As part of her scheme to defraud, Sweeten concocted an elaborate hoax that she and her daughter had been kidnapped in order to deceive family members and law enforcement as to her whereabouts.

Sweeten has already served a year in jail.

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The case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Detectives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise S. Wolf.      


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