A Florida woman has been extradited to Hanover County to face charges in what investigators describe as an $856,000 fraud scheme.

According to Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, in July 2025 malware compromised an unnamed business’s computer system. The following month, an individual who already had the business’s banking credentials contacted an employee, claiming fraudulent transactions had been detected.

During the call, the suspect allegedly convinced the employee to provide multiple two‑factor authentication codes. Then, that information was used them to authorize several fraudulent wire transfers.

The business initially lost approximately $856,000 according to Hanover Sheriff’s Office, but the financial institution was able to identify several fraudulent transfers and recover a substantial portion of the money, reducing the loss to about $330,000.

Hanover investigators traced one of the fraudulent transfers to an individual in Davie, Florida, in May 2026. Working with the Davie Police Department, they identified 41‑year‑old Melissa Joy Cuffe as a recipient. During an interview with Davie Police, Cuffe allegedly made statements implicating herself.

Hanover County investigators obtained felony warrants, leading to her extradition. Cuffe is charged with conspiracy to receive stolen goods and receiving stolen goods, both felonies. She is being held at Pamunkey Regional Jail with awaiting a preliminary hearing scheduled later this month.

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