'Ultimate Identity Theft' In OC; Phoenix Woman Gets Prison

A Phoenix woman is going to prison and an Orange County woman has been completely exonerated after a bizarre love triangle and identity theft ended in a faked sexual assault and a false arrest. After leaving a relationship with a U.S. Marshal identified only as "John Doe," Orange County resident Michelle Suzanne Hadley, 30, became the unwitting target of his next girlfriend, Angela Maria Diaz, whom she had never met.

According to prosecutors, Diaz used sophisticated computer software to spoof emails and make it appear Hadley was posting online classified ads encouraging men to sexually assault her. Diaz staged an attempted sexual assault on herself in which she had red marks on her neck and breast, prompting police to arrest Hadley, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas told reporters.

At some point during the investigation, as authorities were seeking computer addresses for the origin of those emails, they began to suspect Diaz was framing Hadley, Deputy District Attorney Rick Zimmer said.

"From what we're seeing, she's a serial con artist," Zimmer alleged. "She duped us. It was very sophisticated, well thought out and took a great deal of planning."

On Tuesday, Diaz pleaded guilty to kidnapping, false imprisonment by menace, fraud or deceit, forgery, possession of a forged check over $950, perjury, and grand theft, as well as misdemeanors of falsely reporting a crime to a police agency and falsely reporting a crime to a peace officer.

Diaz was sentenced to serving five years in state prison for those crimes.

"It is said that true life is stranger than fiction, and the facts of this case make that statement spot on," Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said. "As important as the filing of the charges charges against Angela Maria Diaz [are], the dismissal of charges against Michelle Suzanne Hadley is equally important."

Investigators followed the leads and learned of the deception Diaz employed that led to Hadley's false arrest. As Hadley maintained her innocence, Diaz stole her identity and sent threatening emails to herself.

On Tuesday, Diaz admitted to filing false reports with the Anaheim Police Department, claiming men arrived at her residence "eager to engage in rape fantasy solicitations" she said they had learned about through ads Hadley had posted on Craigslist.

None of it was true, according to Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.

It is one of the strangest social media harassment cases to date. Hadley was wrongfully imprisoned for several months in the summer of 2016, according to the Orange County District Attorney's office, which removed all charges against her in January.

"I want to make sure that Miss Hadley is cleared in every possible way, in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion, in the media and in cyberspace. Miss Hadley is the innocent victim of a diabolical scheme," Rackauckas said.

Not until well into the investigation of Hadley did detectives realize Diaz's story didn't add up. "At some point during the investigation, as authorities were seeking computer addresses for the origin of those emails, they began to suspect Diaz was framing Hadley," Deputy District Attorney Rick Zimmer said.

Diaz is also accused of doctoring a paycheck in order to increase the amount by $2,000, an alleged crime uncovered during the investigation. Diaz is also accused of faking cervical cancer, masquerading as an attorney, forging doctor's notes, faking a pregnancy and posing as two ex-girlfriends of her estranged husband, prosecutors said.

Read: 'Serial Con Artist' Framed Romantic Rival In Elaborate Scheme: OCDA

“If not for the hard work of law enforcement continuing to investigate and seek the truth in this case, Ms. Hadley could have continued to face life in prison. It is unfathomable why Ms. Diaz would concoct such a diabolical scheme to hurt an innocent person,” stated District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. “Even while pleading guilty, Diaz showed no remorse, compassion or empathy for the victim. We hope the resolution of this case brings some closure to Ms. Hadley so she can move forward in her life.”

Read: Orange County Woman Exonerated After Alleged Framing on Social Media

Photo courtesy Orange County District Attorney