Seal Beach Woman Convicted of Impersonating FBI Agent

A Seal Beach woman faces up to three years in federal prison for impersonating an FBI agent.

However, she avoided up to 40 more years in prison, which she had faced if she had been convicted of obstruction of justice, her attorney said today.

Karen Elaine Hanover, 44, was acquitted of two counts of obstruction of justice, but convicted of impersonating an FBI agent on Friday following a non-jury trial before U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton Tucker, Hanover's attorney John Early said.
The obstruction of justice charges carried 20 years in federal prison apiece, Early said.

”She's very pleased the judge ruled in her favor on the obstruction of justice charges,'' Early said.

Hanover, who was arrested in February, charged clients $30,000 to provide them with information about prime commercial properties, according to the FBI.

Some of her clients felt she didn't provide any services and kept their money, so they complained to the FBI.

One client said someone with a man's voice called her, claiming to be an FBI agent. The Buena Park woman said her caller ID indicated the call came from an FBI office in Los Angeles, according to the FBI. Investigators said she used technology to spoof the origin of the call and to mask her voice and claimed to be an FBI agent so she could discourage
disgruntled clients.

-City News Service