WASHINGTON — An Arlington, Virginia, woman facing federal wire fraud charges for an elaborate high-end handbag scheme will remain in custody until her trial.
A federal judge Wednesday decided Prim Smatsorabudh was a flight risk and must remain in custody with U.S. Marshals before her trial.
As WTOP first reported Friday, Smatsorabudh ran a high-end handbag scheme for years.
According to court documents, Smatsorabudh would buy high-end handbags from various department stores online that often cost more than$2,000 each. She would then order fake replicas of the bags from overseas and return the fakes to the store in person, the documents said.
Smatsorabudh would sell the real bags online for a profit, the documents said.
Smatsorabudh, known as Ms. Prim worked at Beddow Montessori school in Fort Washington, Maryland.
Smatsorabudh made millions, visiting stores in 12 different states to return her bags, the charges allege.
When Homeland Security officers raided her Arlington home, court documents said they found more than 570 purses.
