BALTIMORE, MD – Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced the indictment of 45-year-old Shanell Angelia West of Essex, Maryland, on charges of theft and insurance fraud in two separate cases. The allegations pertain to her former position at the Maryland Department of Labor.
West is accused of orchestrating a theft scheme during her tenure as a clerk, where her responsibilities included managing business licensing fees and fines. She allegedly exploited her role to misappropriate funds from state licensees, manipulating checks meant for state coffers by altering and depositing them into personal accounts, even after her employment was terminated.
The theft-related charges include a theft scheme valued between $1,500 and $25,000, counterfeiting private instruments, issuing counterfeit documents, and misconduct in office. The fraudulent activities purportedly continued with the deposit of forged checks acquired during her employment.
In a separate incident, West faces charges related to filing a fraudulent insurance claim for lost wages tied to her former job, claiming inability to work due to injuries from a car accident in June and July of 2023. However, records show she had been dismissed in 2022. To support her claim, she allegedly submitted a document with a forged signature of a former colleague.
West is charged with committing fraudulent insurance acts of $300 or more, identity fraud of $1,500 or more, and forgery. Her cases are set to be tried in the Baltimore County Circuit Court.
It is important to note that an indictment is not a proof of guilt. West is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Attorney General Brown expressed his gratitude towards his Criminal Division for their efforts in the investigation.