A grand jury in Multnomah County has indicted Laura McCabe, the estranged wife of Portland resident Danielle Del Prado, on charges of identity theft and forgery.
This announcement represents a significant turnaround after Portland police halted their investigation last year, citing a lack of solid leads.
Del Prado, who has made her story public through InvestigateWest, initially sought justice when police indicated that legal complexities and scarce resources hindered their ability to proceed with her case.
Pat Dooris, a spokesperson for the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, noted that collaboration with a financial crimes investigator from the Oregon Department of Justice was vital in advancing the investigation.
Just days after InvestigateWest highlighted Del Prado’s struggle, she reported being contacted by the investigator, Michael Korcek, who stepped in to gather crucial evidence using subpoenas and bank records.
Del Prado expressed her relief, stating, “I was elated. I said, ‘Finally, somebody’s listening.’”
Korcek and Del Prado are the primary witnesses listed for the grand jury proceedings, yet he and a Department of Justice spokesperson have declined to comment on the ongoing criminal case.
With the indictment filed, McCabe, who now resides in Montana, was arrested in Billings following the indictment.
She was subsequently released after posting bond.
Now, authorities in Portland are preparing the necessary paperwork to extradite McCabe back to Oregon to face her charges.
Dooris confirmed, “The paperwork is underway,” although he noted that defendants have the right to contest extradition.
As of now, McCabe has not waived this right.
Del Prado’s legal troubles began earlier this year when she detected unauthorized activity linked to her identity.
In February 2023, while abroad, she received urgent voicemails from Gesa Credit Union’s fraud department, who were attempting to verify loan and credit line applications made in her name.
However, Del Prado had not applied for these loans.
Upon reviewing her credit report, she discovered that nearly 50 lenders had conducted hard inquiries into her credit, many for loans and credit lines she was unaware of.
To date, she has located unauthorized applications totaling over $417,000, which includes $31,350 in loans and lines of credit that were actually approved.
Despite her diligent efforts to compile extensive records of the identity theft, when Del Prado sought assistance from police in late 2023 and early 2024, they advised her that her divorce case, filed in March, offered a more appropriate venue for her claims.
Terri Wallo Strauss, a Portland police spokesperson, explained, “Often, a civil resolution is sought because it’s challenging to prove there wasn’t some kind of verbal agreement.”
She added that such cases could necessitate the expertise of forensic accountants, which may be beyond the resources available to law enforcement or the district attorney’s office.
Legal experts point out that instances of criminal identity theft involving spouses are rare.
According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, only 4% of victims in 2023 identified ex-spouses or partners as responsible for identity misuse.
Kevin Demer, a senior deputy district attorney in Multnomah County, stated through a spokesperson that criminal cases of identity theft between spouses are not frequently pursued.
Del Prado has been vocal about her desire for a criminal case against McCabe, especially as McCabe is now suing her for financial support linked to the green card affidavit Del Prado signed for her.
In a counteraction, Del Prado has filed her own lawsuit against McCabe, seeking $6.2 million for claims including identity theft and emotional distress.
That lawsuit remains ongoing.
InvestigateWest is an independent news nonprofit focused on investigative journalism across the Pacific Northwest.
For inquiries, contact Kaylee Tornay at [email protected].
image source from：https://www.opb.org/article/2025/05/27/investigation-criminal-charges-portland-identity-theft-victim/
