Former Congressional Aide Pleads Guilty to Stealing $23,000 from Rep. Marcy Kaptur’s Bank Account
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A former aide to Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), the longest-serving woman in Congress, has admitted to embezzling nearly $23,000 from the congresswoman’s personal bank account. Courtney Hruska, 40, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to stealing the funds over a nearly year-long period, exploiting Kaptur’s lack of familiarity with electronic banking.
Hruska worked for Kaptur from 2015 to 2022, climbing the ranks from scheduler to office manager. During her tenure, she was entrusted with Kaptur’s banking information for specific, limited purposes. Following her departure from Capitol Hill, Hruska took a position as a program analyst with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service division, where she helped develop regulations for school meal programs.
According to federal court documents, Hruska transferred $22,865.07 from Kaptur’s account in 10 unauthorized transactions between August 2023 and July 2024. Initially, she claimed that “hackers from the dark web” were responsible for the transfers. However, she later confessed to using the stolen funds to pay off her own credit card bills.
Hruska acknowledged that she targeted Kaptur because the 79-year-old congresswoman is not tech-savvy. Kaptur does not use electronic banking or receive real-time transaction alerts, making it easier for Hruska to evade detection. The fraud was discovered in August 2024 when a personal check written by Kaptur bounced due to insufficient funds.
Hruska is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. However, federal sentencing guidelines suggest she will likely receive a prison term of 10 to 18 months, given her lack of a prior criminal record.
Neither Rep. Kaptur’s office nor Hruska’s attorney has commented publicly on the case. The USDA also declined to confirm whether Hruska remains employed with the agency, citing privacy laws related to personnel matters.
The case highlights the risks of entrusting sensitive financial information to staffers, even those with long-standing relationships. It also underscores the vulnerabilities of individuals who are less familiar with digital banking systems.
As the legal proceedings continue, the focus will remain on the sentencing decision and whether Hruska’s actions will lead to broader discussions about accountability and security within congressional offices.
— Reported by Nexio News
