After three months and 30 arrests, the case investigating a string of counterfeit Lee County School District checks is winding down.
Lee County detectives were notified in April of fraudulent checks cashed at Walmarts and check cashing stores in Lee County and Fort Myers. The checks used the number for the Lee County School District’s payroll account and were similar to authentic checks, but were written to individuals who were not employed by the school district. A fraud alert was placed on the account, and the sheriff’s office economic crimes unit and the Fort Myers Police Department assumed the investigation.
http://liarcatchers.com/fraud_investigation.html
Detectives were able to arrest 30 suspects thanks to surveillance video from the Walmarts and check cashing stores, as well as the identification presented by those cashing the checks.
There are still eight suspects wanted by law enforcement for their alleged participation in the scheme.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has obtained warrants for Michael J. Farace, 47; Crystal Cherrelle Gary, 24; Rhonda Luvenia Moore, 31; Alexis Rodriguez, 44, and Archie Jerome Russ Jr., 22.
In addition, three people are wanted by the Fort Myers Police Department for additional questioning. Those three are: Tenish Ruffin, 28; Joseph Byrd, 21 and Alayna Deleon, 22.
It’s possible there are more people involved in the scheme, but everyone known by law enforcement to be involved has been accounted for, according to the sheriff’s office.
The school district could not determine how its bank account number was compromised, because all of its checks were accounted for, according to a sheriff’s office report.
The sheriff’s office has not released whether deputies know how the bank number was compromised. The investigation is ongoing, and further details will be released as they become available, according to the sheriff’s office.
School district spokesman Joe Donzelli could not be reached for comment Thursday.
He declined comment on the incident in May – citing the ongoing investigation.
“We are working closely with the sheriff’s department, and that is really all I can say,” Donzelli said in May.
He added the fraudulent checks had no financial impact on the school district.
