Woman Stole $28K From Merrimack Valley Explosion Victims: AG's Office

SALEM, MA — A Jackson, Mississippi woman was arraigned in Essex Superior Court on Monday after being accused of stealing more than $28,000 from the bank accounts of victims of the 2018 Merrimack Valley gas explosions, MassLive reported.

Lashaunda Studaway, who previously worked as an insurance adjuster for Columbia Gas, was charged with four counts of identity fraud and two counts of larceny of $1,200, according to the Office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey.

Studaway is due back in court for a pre-trial hearing on Dec. 16, according to MassLive.

In September 2018, overpressurized gas lines were blamed by federal investigators for a series of explosions in Andover, North Andover and Lawrence that killed one person, injured almost two dozen and damaged more than 100 buildings, according to NBC 10 in Boston.

Andover Fire Chief Michael Mansfield described the scene as "like Armageddon." The chief said "it looked like an absolute war zone."

Columbia Gas was held responsible for the disaster and pleaded guilty in federal court to pipeline safety and law violations and negligence. The company agreed to pay a $143 million settlement stemming from a class-action lawsuit, in addition to a $53 million federal fine.

According to Massachusetts officials, Studaway worked as an insurance adjuster for Columbia Gas between October 2018 and December 2018, and she was responsible for handling financial claims from victims of the explosions.

Studaway, Healey's office claims, stole $28,971 and the identities of four Merrimack Valley explosion claimants, taking for herself pre-paid debit cards that were supposed go to to the victims.

Healey's office said it believes Studaway submitted false claims under a real claimant's file or created a file using a fictitious person's name when stealing the funds.