Wake County Arrests Alleged Duke Energy Fraud Facilitator, Nearly Half Million Loss

Wake County deputies arrested 39 year old Dazmyn Person on December 19, 2025, and charged her with nine counts of exploitation of an older or disabled adult from a position of trust, nine counts of identity theft, one count of felony conspiracy and one count of trafficking stolen identities. Authorities allege Person assisted an alleged co conspirator, Rafael Williams, in stealing identities to create fraudulent Duke Energy accounts and to process fake online payments. Investigators say the scheme produced about $495,904.62 in losses to Duke Energy. Person was held on a $260,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on December 20, 2025.

The arrest concluded a months long investigation that earlier led to the arrest of Rafael Williams on a larger set of charges and a high bond. Prosecutors are pursuing multiple felony counts that reflect both the alleged targeting of vulnerable adults and the financial scale of the fraud. The charges of exploitation from a position of trust highlight the personal and community harm beyond the headline dollar figure. Victims described by investigators include older or disabled customers whose personal information was allegedly misused to open utility accounts.

From an economic perspective, the nearly $496,000 loss is a tangible cost for the utility and for customers who may indirectly bear the expense through higher administrative costs or fraud prevention measures. While a single incident of this size is unlikely to move broad market indicators, repeated or systemic fraud drives up operating expenses and can influence regulatory conversations about rate adjustments and consumer protections. Utilities and regulators factor fraud losses and security spending into cost recovery and rate case proceedings, which can affect residential bills over time if risks are not contained.

Locally, the case underscores the need for stronger safeguards around identity verification for utility accounts and more robust protections for older and disabled residents. The law enforcement outcome will be followed by court proceedings that may provide additional details about how accounts were opened and payments were simulated online. For Wake County residents, the arrests are a reminder to review account statements, monitor personal information, and report suspicious billing activity promptly to both the utility and law enforcement.