Waterbury woman arrested on fraud charges
February 27, 2025 | By Cheryl Casey | Correspondent
A Waterbury woman is facing fraud charges after allegedly misrepresenting herself to obtain approximately $40,000 in funds from three local assistance organizations, according to Vermont State Police.
On Wednesday, Amanda Haskins, 37, was cited by state police to appear in Washington County Superior Court on April 10 to answer to felony charges of false personation and false pretenses and a misdemeanor charge of false statements of financial ability.
According to a press release from Vermont State Police, authorities were first notified by the Waitsfield-based Mad River Valley Interfaith Council in mid-December about Haskins’ request for money to purportedly pay for back rent, citing concerns of fraud.
Further investigation led authorities to identify additional fraudulent requests made by Haskins to the Mad River Valley Community Fund, also in Waitsfield, and the Community Action Service Team that administers the Waterbury Good Neighbor Fund in Waterbury.
In the press release, Trooper Robert Lemnah said the “investigation determined Haskins created several aliases to further the fraudulent activity that involved falsely claiming a need for money to pay for overdue rent.”
Peter Plagge, secretary of the Community Action Service Team’s board and manager of the Good Neighbor Fund, said in an emailed statement that soon after suspicions were aroused, the two Mad River Valley organizations reached out to inform the Waterbury fund managers of their concerns and reports to police.
“We believe that the fraud started in mid-July of 2023 and that four different names were used in order to bypass our yearly distribution limits,” said Plagge.
Lemnah reported that the three organizations’ combined losses are “estimated to be about $40,000.”
According to Plagge, the total amount distributed to Haskins by the Good Neighbor Fund was just over $13,000. “It breaks our heart, both for the community who has been harmed by this and for the individual involved,” he said, adding that the Good Neighbor Fund has since instituted additional checks and balances to the process of receiving assistance.
“We remain committed to assisting our community as fully as possible,” Plagge said.
Both felony charges of false personation and false pretenses carry sentences of up to 10 years and fines of up to $2,000. The misdemeanor charge of false statements of financial ability carries a sentence of up to one year and a fine of up to $1,000.
On Wednesday, Haskins arrived at the Berlin state police barracks voluntarily before being taken into custody and processed. She was released with a citation to appear in court on April 10 for arraignment.
Further details in the case will be shared at that court hearing including a police affidavit supporting the charges.
