Suspect arraigned on scam charges | Peninsula Daily News

A Tacoma woman, Alla Mashkova, has been arraigned in Clallam County Superior Court for her alleged involvement in a scheme that scammed a 71-year-old Sequim woman out of $40,000. During her appearance on Friday, Mashkova, 36, pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree theft and second-degree extortion. Judge Elizabeth Stanley scheduled her next court date for June 23, 2025. Mashkova participated in the hearing via Zoom with the help of an interpreter.

The case against Mashkova stemmed from a sting operation conducted by the Clallam County Sheriff's Department. She was arrested on March 12 after reportedly collecting $40,000 in cash from the elderly victim, who had previously given a total of $125,000 to a man claiming to be a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) agent. This deceptive scheme involved several high-value transactions over time.

Investigations revealed that Mashkova had executed similar schemes in Burien, Redmond, and Portland, Oregon, collecting large amounts of money from other victims as well. The man posing as the FTC agent, Pralay Kumar Kar, was arrested on March 21 in Bothell and is also facing charges of first-degree theft and second-degree extortion.

Kar is currently being held at Clallam County Jail on a $200,000 bond and is scheduled for arraignment on April 2. Meanwhile, Mashkova has been released on a $50,000 bond and will be allowed to attend court hearings via Zoom, provided she adheres to the conditions of her electronic monitoring.

The case highlights the ongoing issue of scams targeting vulnerable individuals, particularly the elderly, raising concerns about the need for increased awareness and prevention measures.