Woman pleads guilty to wire fraud

A Fayette County woman entered a guilty plea to fraudulently claiming to be a Marine Corps veteran and accepting donations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Tennessee said recently.
Amanda Kate Walker Bass pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of fraudulent use of military medals or stolen valor.
Reportely, Bass claimed to be a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was the lone survivor of an enemy ambush in Afghanistan in 2010 that left her severely injured.
In reality, the office said, Bass never served in the armed forces.
The U.S attorney’s office said Bass profited financially from the “fictitious narrative” by setting up a GoFundMe page and accepting donations, free labor, and other benefits from sharing the story online.
In July of 2021, Bass convinced the Memphis newspaper, The Daily Memphian, to publish an article about her as a disabled veteran who became a dealer for luxury handbag brands, the U.S. attorney’s office said.
Bass could be facing up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the wire fraud conviction, as well as up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine for the fraudulent use of military medals conviction.
She is expected to be sentenced by a judge on May 14.