A Rochester woman, allegedly caught up in a Nigerian scam operation, now faces criminal charges for stealing from her employer to send advance payments to the scam artists in order to get a promised $10 million. Jalaine Noella Holtan, is charged with one count of felony theft. A summons has been issued for her to be in Olmsted District Court on Nov. 17.

Police were called July 10 by the area manager for Casey’s General Store after learning from the bank that several deposit bags had not been deposited from one of the stores. The complaint said Holtan told the manager that she had kept the cash because she owed people money. She said she took about $10,000 to $15,000. Holtan later told police she had been investing for several years. Holtan said she got an e-mail in early July from an attorney named Morgan Smith, who said Holtan is to receive $10 million from investments she had made in diamonds and oil in Nigeria.

Diplomats from Nigeria allegedly were in Rochester in June with the money, but they needed a “certificate” to transfer the money to her. Holtan told police the diplomats needed her to front the money to them to pay for the “certificate.” Holtan didn’t have the money available, so the diplomats returned to Nigeria and put her in touch with Smith. Holtan was told that Smith would arrive in Rochester on July 9. She said she waited for him at the airport until 10 p.m., but he never arrived.

She said she received a message from Smith that night in which he said he needed $2,500 from her in order to get to Rochester with the $10 million, but she didn’t have it for him.

Holtan said she had sent over $12,507 to these people since July 7. She told police she had gotten the majority of the money by “borrowing” it from her employer. She said she took it with the intention of repaying the money upon receipt of her $10 million.

People still fall for this?