By VINAYA SAKSENA

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Two Cumberland women will be due in court soon to answer to allegations that they used the stolen identity of a 76-year-old Blackstone, Mass. woman fraudulently to make over $30,000 in purchases in her name.

On Friday, a Bristol County (Massachusetts) Grand Jury returned indictments against 45-year-old Julie Senechal and her mother, Anna Senechal, in connection with the alleged incident. Each faces charges of “Identity Fraud, Larceny over $250, Forgery and Uttering,” according to a statement from the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley.
According to Coakley’s office, the victim had been contacted by a collection company, who informed her that she was behind on payments for a recently purchased boat. Having never actually purchased a boat, the victim contacted the Blackstone Police Department in September of 2008, after receiving this notification, Coakley’s office said.
As a result of the victim’s call, an investigation was launched, which Coakley’s office said eventually revealed that Julie Senechal had purchased a boat and trailer worth over $30,000 in the victim’s name. Senechal had known the victim before the fraudulent boat purchase was made, and had used that acquaintance to her advantage, Coakley’s office said in its statement.
“Authorities discovered that Julie Senechal had a relationship with the victim through a mutual acquaintance,” the statement said. “During the course of their friendship, Julie Senechal used her position of trust to convince the victim to turn over her personal information by claiming that she wanted to set up a trust on behalf of the victim.”
The matter was reviewed by Coakley’s office last month after it was referred to her by the office of Bristol County District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter. According to Coakley’s office, it is believed that Julie and Anna Senechal created a fake senior citizen’s identification card, using a photo of the elder Senechal coupled with the victim’s personal information. Anna Senechal then allegedly used this false ID for the boat purchase, forging the victim’s signature on the purchase and sale agreement for the boat.
Both suspects are to be arraigned on the charges in Bristol County Superior Court in New Bedford, though a court date had not been announced as of press time. Emily Lagrassa, Director of Communications for Coakley’s office said that neither suspect was in custody and that neither had been arrested, but that they would be summonsed into court.
Julie and Anna Senechal could not be reached for comment, as no street address or phone number could be found for either of them. A search for their contact information online yielded only a Woonsocket Post Office box number. 
According to Coakley’s office, the case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Joseph Eisenstadt of her office’s Environmental Crimes Division. The case had primarily been investigated by Detective Daniel Arrighi of the North Attleboro Police Department.