NEW YORK – Authorities have accused an East Rutherford woman of amassing more than $12,000 in free merchandise by claiming she was an assistant of celebrity Jessica Simpson (search).
Courtney Handel (search), 23, was arrested Friday and charged with theft by deception. By Sunday, she had been released from the Bergen County Jail after posting bail.
Police say Handel sent e-mails and faxes to companies in which she posed as Simpson assistant CaCee Cobb. Handel told the companies that Simpson, who is playing the movie version of Daisy Duke in "The Dukes of Hazzard", (search) had expressed interest in their product lines.
But Handel used her own address, and when police detectives arrived Friday, they found Handel's home full of merchandise.
"As we were standing outside, UPS pulled up with 12 more packages. We turned to each other and said, 'If only all our cases could be this easy,'" Detective Sgt. Jeff Yannaconi told the Daily News, New York, for Saturday newspapers.
Among the items Handel collected were PH Advantage cosmetics, Pagliei jewelry, Ted Rossi handbags, Peter Thomas Roth skin care and Fake Bake Tanning Products. Frye sent seven pairs of boots.
Police are arranging to return the products to the companies.
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