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Former Senate staffer charged with fraud

by Jordain Carney - 05/28/15 4:55 PM ET

Robert Lee Foster, a former Senate staffer, has been charged with nine counts of wire fraud.

Foster was a staff member for the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee from sometime around 1969 through 2010, according to the grand jury indictment from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

He allegedly defrauded at least three women of approximately $500,000 between 2008 and May 2015.

{mosads}The indictment alleges Foster targeted the women — listed as Person A, Person B and Person C — because of their “personal circumstance, including their age, health, marital or family situations.”

“Person A” was 54 when she met Foster and had recently lost her husband of 25 years; “Person B” was approximately 70 and had previously had a stroke that left her with a speech disorder; and “Person C” was 75 and caring for a dementia patient.

Foster used his ties to the government “to gain the trust and confidence” of the women, according to the indictment, telling them he needed money to help pay for business expenses, foreign travel and debt, or because his credit card has been hacked, none of which was true.

Instead, he allegedly used the money for his “personal use and benefit.”

If found guilty, he’ll have to turn over approximately $500,000 in either money or property, according to the indictment.

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