Angela Aquino ran for New York City public advocate in 2025. FILE PHOTO
LOS ANGELES – A Filipino American former candidate for New York City public advocate has pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a scheme to fraudulently obtain $1 million in taxpayer-funded campaign matching funds, federal prosecutors said.
Angela Aquino, 47, entered her guilty plea Thursday in federal court in Brooklyn before US Magistrate Judge Vera Scanlon, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
She faces up to 20 years in prison at sentencing.
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This remains the most prevalent form of financial crime globally. It targets the direct access points to your money: your cards and your bank accounts.
- Skimming: Criminals use small devices called “skimmers” placed over ATM or point-of-sale card slots to capture the data from your card’s magnetic strip.
- Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud: This occurs during online shopping where a physical card isn’t required. Thieves use stolen card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes to make unauthorized purchases.
- Account Takeover (ATO): A hacker gains access to your online banking credentials (often through malware or phishing) and changes the contact details or passwords, locking you out while they drain your funds.