A 39-year-old Davidson County woman is accused of turning an intellectually disabled Nashville resident’s identity into a tool for fraud, allegedly taking more than $15,000 in Social Security benefits. The suspect was arrested Tuesday after investigators tied the case to a driver’s license transaction from 2021.
According to WKRN News 2, Crystal Michelle Akridge allegedly used the victim’s personal information at a downtown Nashville driver service center. Court documents say Akridge signed paperwork with the victim’s name and matched her own photo to the victim’s identity to fraudulently renew and duplicate a Tennessee driver’s license, while the victim later faced garnishments and lost $15,418.56 in benefits.
Tennessee Identity Theft Reports Remain A Major Concern
The case arrives as state officials continue warning Tennesseans that identity theft can quickly turn into financial devastation. The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance said the state had more than 14,000 identity theft reports in the latest federal data, ranking Tennessee 24th nationally.
That agency also notes that Tennessee law allows parents and guardians to place a free credit freeze for an incapacitated person under their care. A freeze does not stop every kind of fraud, but it can make it harder for someone to open new credit accounts using another person’s information.
Eight Felony Charges Follow Months-Long Investigation
The Tennessee Highway Patrol Criminal Investigation Unit began investigating in April, according to WKRN News 2. Akridge faces eight felony charges: three counts of identity theft, two counts of forgery, two counts of criminal simulation and one count of financial exploitation.
Court documents set Akridge’s bond at $80,000. The charges are allegations, and she is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove them in court.
The Allegations Echo Other Nashville Financial Exploitation Cases
The case also lands amid a string of Nashville investigations involving money allegedly taken from vulnerable people. In June, a former Bank of America employee was accused of stealing more than $139,000 from two elderly customers in a case covered by Hoodline.
For Tennesseans who suspect their identity has been misused, the state attorney general’s office recommends filing a local police report, reporting the matter to the Federal Trade Commission and contacting the three major credit bureaus. The state’s Identity Crimes Unit can also be reached at 615-251-5185, according to the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office.
