A former staff member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation was recently charged by indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia with defrauding at least three women of approximately $500,000, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia.

The indictment charges Robert Lee Foster, 65, of De Pere, Wisconsin, with nine counts of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, from 2008 through May 2015, Foster devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain money and property from at least three women, whom Foster targeted because of their age, health, marital or family status, or other personal circumstances. The indictment alleges that Foster used his affiliation with the U.S. Senate to gain the victims’ trust and confidence, and that he made various false and fraudulent representations to the victims, which prompted them to send Foster money, which funds he then used for his own personal benefit.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

This case was investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kevin Driscoll and Peter Halpern of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamar Walker of the Eastern District of Virginia.

Foster Indictment