Criminal Defense Lawyer in Goose Creek, SC

GOOSE CREEK — A Berkeley County woman was indicted on federal charges this month after allegedly stealing her employer’s identity and defrauding her boss of at least $175,000.

The woman, Tiffany Nelson, pleaded not guilty to the allegations during an initial appearance in federal court on Oct. 28. She was indicted earlier this month on five counts, including wire fraud, mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.

The owner and sole chiropractor at an unidentified medical practice in Goose Creek hired Nelson as an office manager in December 2015. As part of her position, Nelson could access the owner’s company and personal bank accounts.

She also knew her boss’s birthday, Social Security number and address, as well as the login information and passwords for the owner’s life insurance policy and retirement accounts.

Throughout her time as the office manager, Nelson allegedly neglected to pay business expenses and diverted funds for her own personal use. This caused the business to fall behind on bills and impacted its operating income, according to the indictment.

Beginning in at least November 2020, Nelson allegedly devised a scheme to defraud her employer’s life insurance policy with MassMutual. She called the life insurance company while impersonating her boss and requested a $20,000 loan, according to the indictment.

About a year later, she allegedly began taking steps to also steal money from her boss’s retirement account with the Capital Group American Funds investment company. She requested to withdraw $25,000 from the IRA in December 2020 and $20,000 in January 2021, according to the indictment.

In total, Nelson is accused of directly or indirectly stealing $175,000, per the indictment.

If convicted of the charges, Nelson could face a mandatory minimum sentence of two years and as much as 20 years in prison. She would also be on the line for paying back what she stole.

Because her money may need to go toward restitution, Nelson was granted a $50,000 unsecured bond by Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker during her initial appearance.

Conditions of Nelson’s bond include staying in communication with her federal public defender and probation officer, not breaking the law, not leaving the state without permission and not drinking alcohol or using drugs.

Nelson no longer is employed at the chiropractor’s office. She now works in insurance billing for another business, according to information shared during the hearing.

The government voiced concerns that the victim’s daughter believes Nelson’s current role gives her the same access to financial information that she allegedly used to defraud her previous employer.

Baker ordered Nelson’s probation officer to learn more about her current job.

If she has access to financial records, a third party may need to be notified as another condition of her bond, Baker said.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCBD) – Federal agents arrested a Goose Creek man Tuesday morning after he allegedly lied to authorities about his ties to a terrorist organization and destroyed evidence to obstruct a federal investigation, the US Department of Justice said.

Ala Aldeen Alshaikh, 31, was indicted for lying to FBI agents, making false statements while trying to obtain US citizenship, and destroying evidence.

Alshaikh, a Sudanese national, applied for US citizenship in September 2021, the indictment states. During his interview with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, he told interviewers he had not associated with a terrorist organization.

Justice officials said this was a lie and Alshaikh had pledged allegiance to and claimed membership in the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in August 2021.

A year after the immigration interview in preparation for his naturalization ceremony, Alshaikh again denied connection to terrorists on a written immigration form, the indictment states.

Investigators allegedly found evidence that in October and November of 2021, AlshaikhMade statements online indicating his connection to ISIS. The statements referred to a possible attack on the US Embassy after his immigration interview, which took place on September 10, 2021.

Alshaikh also lied to an FBI agent in January 2025 by denying that he ever offered to share aviation expertise with anyone, officials said. Alshaikh, who has aviation experience, allegedly offered to mobilize and share his experience with the militant group Al-Bara Ibn Malik Brigade.

He then destroyed evidence of his online conversations with the Al-Bara Ibn Malik Brigade after he became aware of the federal investigation, according to the indictment.

If convicted, Alshaikh faces a maximum sentence of five to 20 years in prison. He was arraigned after his arrest on Tuesday morning.

His detention hearing is scheduled for September 19 at 10 a.m. before US Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker.

The FBI Columbia Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated this case. Assistant US Attorneys Chris Lietzow and Everett McMillian are prosecuting the case with support from Trial Attorney Kevin C. Nunnally of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section.

GOOSE CREEK — Federal agents arrested a Goose Creek man accused of lying in immigration papers about his ties to the Islamic State group and obstructing federal agents.

Ala Aldeen Alshaikh, 31, appeared in magistrate court Sept. 16 after a grand jury indicted him on four separate counts.

They include making a false statement under oath in an immigration proceeding, making a false statement on an immigration document, making a false statement involving international terrorism to a federal agent and deleting records to obstruct a federal investigation.

The allegations against the Sudanese national focus on comments he made online over a period of several years. He has not been charged with providing material support for terrorism or participating in a conspiracy.

Alshaikh’s various charges carry maximum penalties of between five and 20 years in prison.

Alshaikh allegedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, in August 2021, according to the indictment. He is accused of lying about that to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer during an interview a month later.

He is also accused of lying on follow-up immigration forms in March 2022 ahead of his naturalization ceremony, asking him if he had connections with the Communist Party, totalitarian organizations or terrorist groups.

The indictment alleges he destroyed records in November 2024 that included online conversations where he offered to “mobilize and share his aviation expertise” with the Sudanese militant group Al-Bara Ibn Malik Brigade, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of South Carolina.

The Al-Bara Ibn Malik Brigade and its leader were sanctioned by the U.S. government on Sept. 12. The U.S. State Department said the sanctions stemmed from the group’s connections to Iran and their actions during the war in Sudan, according to a news release. The UN’s human rights chief raised alarms about the group in January after reports of summary executions of civilians.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lietzow said no other arrests have been made in connection with the investigation.

Lietzow said in court Sept. 16 that Alshaikh lied to FBI agents about his offering of support to the Sudanese militant group in January. Later, he agreed to a follow-up interview but then purchased two one-way tickets back to Sudan for different days. The FBI intercepted him as he tried to board a plane in late February, Lietzow said.

Lietzow said Alshaikh told agents he was heading back to Sudan to work on his family’s banana farm.

He is expected to have a bond hearing at 10 a.m. on Sept. 19 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker. Bill Nettles was assigned as his public defender. He declined to comment after Alshaikh’s hearing.

Alshaikh is being held in the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center.