Sixth Individual Admits Participation in Victoria's Secret Theft Scheme

 Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Boston, announced that SHARNICE JACKSON, 20, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today to a conspiracy offense related to a scheme to defraud Victoria’s Secret stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall occurred via videoconference.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Jackson and others were involved in a scheme through which they stole thousands of dollars from L Brands, the parent company of Victoria’s Secret stores.  As part of the scheme, the co-conspirators shoplifted merchandise from Victoria’s Secret stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts.  They then returned the shoplifted Victoria’s Secret merchandise through a “No Original Receipt” return, which allowed them to obtain gift cards for Victoria’s Secret in the value of the stolen merchandise (the “Return Step”).  The co-conspirators then redeemed the gift cards at Victoria’s Secret stores for merchandise that slightly exceeded the value of the gift card, so that the excess amount was charged to a debit card connected to a co-conspirator (the “Redeem Step”).  They then returned the merchandise purchased in the Redeem Step, with the refund for the entire amount credited to the co-conspirator’s debit card (the “Refund Step”).

Between approximately October 2018 and October 2019, L Brands lost more than $100,000 as a result of this scheme.

Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for September 17, 2021.

Jackson is the sixth defendant involved in this scheme to plead guilty.  SHAMONIQUE MACKEY, 22; DAIJAH FAGAN, 21; TAMIJAH HUNTER, 21; LEONNA JONES, 22; and IMANI AITCHESON, 21, all of Hartford, previously pleaded guilty to the same charge and await sentencing.  A seventh defendant charged in this conspiracy is awaiting trial.

This investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police, Hartford Police Department and L Brands Loss Prevention.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarala V. Nagala and Tara E. Levens.