The FBI has arrested a New York woman on charges of lying to investigators during their investigation of a fundraising scam after the Sandy Hook school shootings.

Prosecutors say 37-year-old Nouel Alba of the Bronx used her Facebook account,  and made phone calls and sent text messages falsely claiming to be a relative of a shooting victim,   claiming she was seeking donations for the child’s “funeral fund.”  Instead,   money went to a PayPal account she controlled.

Agents say when the FBI investigated her requests for donations,  she falsely stated she had not posted information related to the Newtown shootings,  and also falsely claimed to have immediately refunded any donations that she received.

U.S.  Attorney for Connecticut David Fein says her arrest should serve as a warning to other would-be scam artiests that authorities are monitoring the internet for such scams –  and that those running the scams will face federal or state prosecution.  He says if Alba is convicted,  she could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and fined up to a quarter million dollars. (Click here to read the federal complaint.)