ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Next Stamina) – An Alexandria woman pleaded guilty today to wire fraud after utilizing the personal financial information of her former employer, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Virginia.

Courtney Melissa Hruska, 40, admitted to making unauthorized payments toward her personal credit card bills using the Representative’s bank account information.

Hruska served on the member’s staff from August 2015 to January 2022, according to court documents. During her employment, the member entrusted Hruska with personal credit card and bank account details to fulfill her official responsibilities.

Records indicate Hruska left the congressional office on Jan. 30, 2022, for a position with a federal agency. Despite her departure, the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated Hruska retained the member’s financial information without authorization.

Between Aug. 19, 2023, and July 30, 2024, Hruska used the member’s bank account to pay her own credit card balances on 10 separate occasions, authorities detailed.

That because the member did not use electronic banking, the theft was not immediately discovered. Due to the lapse in time, the member recovered less than nine percent of the stolen funds through fraud compensation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General investigated the case, which resulted in a total loss to the Representative of at least $22,865.07.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Drucker.

Hruska is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, according to federal records.