on February 1st 2023 multiple officers were called to the bank regarding a 23-year-old who was attempting to cash fraudulent checks yeah he's here thank you what's going on bud what's up man how you doing you do me a favor yeah come hear with me real quick you don't have any weapons on you right no no no no weapons you mind if I pat you down real quicke everything F yeah yeah we're going to talk about it out here just do me a favor come grab your stuff we're going to come sit on this couch right here real quick all right you got your ID on you yeah I got my ID I have ID you mind bringing it over here to me BR 6 10 12 put your phone in here what's your first name bud Jose Jose yeah okay what's your last name good man yeah I'm gonna explain it to you in a second all right he trying to catch TR for some same guy yes same ID presented um I wouldn't know what what made you alert they gave you a name pal called us and told what look for the name or description description description and that's how us what's going on today everything good man just here here what my everything good you get what how'd you get here oh I got here how how oh in the car where car where car I don't I came in a friend's car let me guess they're gone I don't know where they was it like a nan a gr Nissan a great Nissan they drop you off yeah he dropped me off and where did he go Nissan is he coming back to pick you up I guess so when when I tell him to tell them to comeb what are those that another ID yeah I res this year yours yeah why there no name on show a prepaid card it's a prepaid card yeah you pre-load money on to it yeah just trer some money that's where you from from hi wow what brings you all way to pom Gardens just came came here why why are you telling me H cuz this is not our first day oh come on bro it's not our first day no no I'm not I'm not I'm not so being being listen listen I'm not insulting your intelligence my I hope not and don't call me my dear it's officer oh I'm sorry sorry I'm sorry okay Officer um the primary officer will will come in and talk with you but just so you know honesty goes a very long way with us all right I again okay so if you tell us why you're up here yeah might that might help we all know why you're up here right playing stupid and dumb and oblivious I'm not I'm not stupid I'm not saying you are but I was playing playing like it like acting like you we don't like you don't know what we're talking about why we're here oh come on that's the you want to go with no man I don't talk you bullshitting right now cuz the smile on your face tells me otherwise like I told you my smile what do you want me to do cry me to put you this way this is you've been up in this area between North Lake and here yeah this a't the first bank you've been at today yeah so like I said we know we know what the deal we know so he'll talk to you in a minute he'll lay everything out we'll go from there all right who's Samuel do picking you up oh that's a no that's a friend of mine you're a busy person I wish man who's picking you up what who's coming to pick you up where they at my friend where is he I don't know you want to play The Bull games we can play the I where he at man I'm not pretty no what time is he com back what time is he supposed to pick you up with the time when I call him I'm done I was supposed to grab something to eat so where's he at I can't I I don't know man tell you I was supposed to grab something to eat sit down eat where you going to grab something to eat at right here I don't know what's right there place over there I don't know what place is it I don't know where I'm going to P what do you mean that's what I you're disrespecting me right now no I'm me that that that I was full of what I'm saying you're lying to us you're lying that's not a that's that's not a way to like to tell me like you're you're full of I'm sorry you're ly that's a disect I don't mean to tell you full of you're lying man leave it like that just leave it like that you don't know me I don't know you you know I know enough to know you're lying that's your sorry about that no no no you're good you're Andrea yes I am okay so uh real quick you want raising your right hand for me you swear everything you're going to tell me is truth and nothing about the truth everything that I know is the truth awesome so kind of give me the rundown what's going on right now so um we have a system where some comes in a branch sent out and her out branches okay so he went first to Boon today yeah okay and in Boon let him go away he went to um North Lake and the new Branch would just open there where on North Lake is that right by the Costco okay mhm and so they let him get 1950 but after because the phone numbers were just changed they didn't do a doe diligence so we got 1940 my apologize and then she called me cuz I used to work with her a long time she's like Andrea I just messed up I said what did you do because afterward the emails start coming from Boon and Lort all the BR as he went to before and he got away so then she realized she's like you see that emails that just came out and I said yeah she said he just left here and I gave him 1940 I'm like girl do you guys have this person's information the one you did another customer before too this is the one you got the money from before this gentleman this account you got the money from before so basically the with more than one accounts at our bank across from CostCo it's ours as well he tried to actually check on a different name same guy same guy different name that's what they're telling us at the front that's how they alerted on him is there anybody that can go down there one of us can probably break it that's it's right by the they just rebuil we'll see if we can have somebody go down there cuz I'll take this one m and then we have all three of you can you raise your right you swear everything you tell me going to be the truth nothing about the truth yes perect sir all right so go ahead and run me through what happened he walked into the branch he came to the transaction by the that's the T Station Branch looks a little different we asked for his ID he gave the ID he said he needs to cash a check it said kitchen cabinet on like the left side the memo she said oh you do kitchen work he said yes I said we got to ask you a few questions before we cashed the check so I had to ask him for Social Security make sure the information was correct that he was provid is this the check here no where is the check back at my Branch I didn't know I it I'm sorry I thought you just needed me to come here I misunderstood what you need that's fine if anything we can get someone over there okay and then um cashed it boom he walked out and then he came here and then what happened here so when he came when he left North Lake um the manager over there not her another manager I worked with many years she called me and she said did you see the email that Francisco sent out and I said yes she said he was just here and we gave him money I said what what would you do that she says uh and then she described him to me she says a shorter Hispanic guys in blue shirt blue jeans and um piercing on his face so I said okay um cuz he had gone to previous bank so the other branch manager in Lakeworth sent out an email when he left Lakeworth but she before he went to that Branch before the email came up but I got it before he came here so then Lisa called me and while I'm talking to you it's so funny he walked right in I'm like oh that's I no I was telling them about what Lisa was saying and then he walked in and that say so I asked him and he says you only need to cash a check I said okay Brianna will be more than happy to assist you Brianna is the teller and he went up to Brianna so I said I have to come around and help you Brianna cuz I wanted to let her know who he is and I went around and I I said that's him I was just telling about don't cash it but I pretend like I'm coming so then I run to her I said please right away so she you you were the one helping him here no no so you're from the other Branch as well so you the one helping here Bri is okay I'll talk to her after this stay there so she was she was helping her him here and then you obviously read the email you came around to confirm that it was him at that time you did actually when I read the email he wasn't here yet so I already email and went out now and was talking to them because the other lady just called me and we were on the phone so I went out tell him everything while we were talking he walked in oh okay so as you were getting this information that he just did this to the the location on North Lake M you saw him walk in then you called us yes perfect and you two are both from the North Lake M okay all right let me uh speak to her about what time did he would you say that he came at 1 you can check are you able to pull records Andrea check the transaction history where's my phone that to you right is there like a like a sheet like a transaction you can maybe print out or something that'll give the time stamp went North Lake yeah it's 12 no 12 1:00 on the 1:00 he went to North Lake 1220 he was at a different location which was West was in West Palm 1220 yeah and then he went to North he went to Bon then to L Lake Worth they didn't do anything when he went to West pal he got cash for the first time went to their Branch got cash and then came here they five branches and for the North Lake Branch you want to prosecute correct that's what we do here Fifth Third correct yes ma'am okay um so just go ahead and go through what happened um well we had got an email from them saying from North p i mean from North that somebody name but it was under but he had they gave kind of a description of him so we were literally in the Andrew was literally standing there talking about what was going on um and he walked through the door so when he walked through the door she said hey um I'm going to have to help her because I'm new but that was the flat I am new but it was the flag that don't that's him so she came around the corner said that's the guy he handed me his ID and he handed me the check um and then he wasn't a f or customer so we were like oh we're going to have to kind of create a profile but we already knew who he was that time so we were just kind of stalling right and then I was like so what brings you you know you're fromia while you're down here and he said he was working on cabinets and he does cabinets which then if you look on the check that's the check reflected um and then that was pretty much it yeah well I wasn't I just interacted with him physically to him talking to him while Talia and Andrea were talking but he's dumb because let me tell you something they went back there and were talking about you know what was happening and then calling you guys and then they walked that man just turn and set now like you're an idiot um but yeah and then that was pretty much what happened like you guys came in a few minutes he was talking about cabinets we distracted him you were here all right easy peasy thank you you're welcome they're talking about oh multiple I think jurisdictions five total five one we're not talking to you you know what know what yeah Oh what now you want to hop bad it is how bad you messed up exactly what like said it's best to be honest with us fight what come on man and he laughs like that's like the crazy part when people laughs doesn't mean they Happ it means you're nervous it means you're n exactly I I am nervous I swep my hands and you're and you're you you have a nervous laugh a nervous smile but about what I already hear to the Handcuff right as soon as we all walked in he started laughing at us no not yall I'm not laughing at y'all no okay I know you're not laughing at us no no don't get it like that that's a nervous laugh I've been respectful you have been and we appreciate that I'm not saying you're laughing at us it's a nervous laugh it's a nervous smile all right I'm a nervous person well you messed up today and that's why nervous cuz you know what happened you know what you did we know what you did that's why we're here that's me being honest with you that's not me lying to you that's not me that's me being straight up I get no I just want you to know I'm not laughing at you guys hey just look at me real quick is any camera face me I was going to count your money right in front of you all right that's perfect thank you very much seven there's eight 802 perfect man thank you there go who dropped you on I don't know his name you don't know his name so you just got in a car with some homeboy yeah and just took a ride up here yeah tell you that sounds like that was your first bad decision yeah I guess so yeah who's who's your friend R he won't tell us oh you don't know what kind of car is he driving so we could tell him to come pick you up he he he drives I already told you got a great n on my a great Nan why don't you call him tell him pick you up I'm not going to call him turn pick up what not right now I feel uncomfortable those aren made no you you you put really they're not they're not that after running a check on the man's name a warrant was found for his arrest in Virginia for the same type of [Music] crime that's a bad thing we went to Virginia huh in Virginia warrant he pass through on the way to New York yeah just went to New York just you just passed through and they like oh Jose's here let's give him a warrant just because a war Virginia yeah yeah this is the first time I like what you do in Virginia I the same thing I passed went to New York a couple banks man what do you mean well Virginia knows they got a judge to sign it so yeah game over this is Officer Shu with Palm Beach Gardens Police Department with which Police Department Palm Beach Gardens Palm Beach Gard there's police Palm Beach police department calling for you I have a feeling it has to do with the account just to say hello just they both already know about this officer second pal Gardens Police Department um it seems to me that you're already aware that somebody's been trying to fraudulently use your information that's great so down here in Palm Beach Gardens one of our one of the banks in our city um he was actually able to successfully use your information to uh cash a check in with in your name with your account number and all that um we have the we have the suspect and and we're wondering obviously you did not give this person permission anything of that of that nature to do to do this correct that's correct okay and would you like to prosecute for this what was the amount of the check I'm sorry how much was the check for, 1940 okay um you know I've been in touch with my bank um we have a joint account and um I noticed that this person tried twice before y yes in West Palm in West Palm Beach I believe in Boon Beach which is a whole separate jurisdiction okay um was the check successfully cashed or not yes and in and in our jurisdiction at Palm Beach Gardens the check was successfully cashed for 1,2 $91 she was two CHS right here talk about 1941 I think was what it was right yes okay now um questions first of all to prosecute do we have to be further involved in the that um no no okay and how do we get that money back the branch will take care of the branch will take care of that which branch your branch or the the the the bank we down there in Florida the the fifth bank we're going to recover the money Third Bank yes in okay so the fifth bank here in Tennessee will take care of that just you just call just call yeah ma'am we already recovered yes this is basically what happened to in a nutshell someone grab a hold of your checks made one out to himself he got payment for it and he's been doing this all over the county okay yeah yeah um Third Bank basically communicated between themselves saying hey this is a guy he might be coming and trying to cash some checks we caught wi of it and we were able to arrest him after he cashed your check and recovered the money so basically what the officer is asking you will you press charges for this guy will you have him placed into jail for what he did yeah yeah okay all right so um we're going to need all your information and we'll probably going to be taking a statement from you it's going to be on our camera but it's going to be basically um over the phone so the officer is going to swear you in and you're going to explain to him uh all the uh F and stuff that been going on in your account and at the end whether or not you want to prosecute okay okay we thank you so much for your cooperation ma'am you're doing a good doing a good thing thank you you do all right ma'am um so do you swear that everything you're going to tell me is the truth and nothing but the truth yes okay so go ahead and ex uh what's what's your name your full name and date of birth all right William do you swear that everything you tell me is the truth and nothing but the truth I sure do all right so go ahead and tell me what's been going on with your bank account um I think I can speak better he has a bit of a hearing problem okay is that all right if I speak for him no yeah that's fine she okay well last week I became aware that five check payments to different creditors such as our cable company our electric company couple of stores were not paid and so I went to our local branch you said we're not you said we're not they were not received by the creditors the electric company didn't get their payment the uh department store didn't get their payment the cable company didn't get their payment so I assumed that the check X had been lost or stolen in the mail M I went to our bank our Branch local branch and put stop payments on five checks I thought that was hopefully the end of the story this morning I received emails from the Third Bank saying that um contacting information had been changed that that you said that was this morning correct yeah I got the email this morning the contact information I'm sorry my contact information had been changed that um uh a pin a password reset had been initiated and uh user ID uh request had been to change the user ID had been initiated if I if I gave you my email would you be able to email that forward that email to me uh yeah I I could I could do that okay forward you the emails from the bank yeah the on the one that that has in writing that your password and everything was reset this morning okay go ahead what's your email bgarden florida.com yep all right all right so so this morning you received the the contact info that had been changed for your past [Music] password yeah um that my contact information have been changed a different phone number area code was now in my personal information and um someone had tried to initiate a user ID and password change someone try to initiate user ID and password yes change uhhuh that was three separate emails that I got okay if you could just forward those to me and then uh I'll send them to you all right perfect and then if I could just ask if he wants to prosecute uh yes oh once again he's here yes I sure do want to press a hearing all right thank you very much if I have any more questions I'll will be certain to give you a phone call okay and I'll get those emails to you shortly thank you thank you turn around buddy $82 no uh 19 1900 times 2 yeah 1940 time I think it's 1940 how do you got here H Che car in the car yours no no we're trying to figure out who Buddy's trying to come pick him up is they going to come pick you up no I don't I don't think so no why not he saw the cop here no I don't know cuz I was supposed to call him okay he wouldn't answer the phone Char we call in a minute my name is Alexis I'm a detective here with page Gardens and um I hear you've been very Cooperative with everything um and that you be willing to speak with me is that true yeah okay um and you were read your Miranda Rights earlier today okay and do you still understand your rights yeah do you need me to read them to you again that's fine okay um and you are willing to talk to me yeah why what have for what you have absolutely I mean you can only speak on what you know right okay um please raise your right hand and state your name all right tell me what happened today I got picked up today uh and I went I came over here and they give me the checks they didn't tell me were fraud or nothing they just give me the checks told me to change them and I went ready to is this something you've done before no no and so how did you meet these people uh they're a friends were friends but I really don't know them that much so how did you just out of the blue they texted you and said hey we we need a favor they no they just came to to where I was at where was that that was next to my house in the gas station and you're done hiia yeah okay and they came up to you or you guys you guys they offer me and I say yes okay what did they offer you to to to work they should say you to work yeah and when I got there he just give me the checks and told me to go right here so I'm very familiar with this process but I kind of need you to spell it out for me as if I have no idea what's going on okay um when they met up with you were you supposed to get money in return for doing it or drugs no no none of that so what were you making out of it money money how much were you supposed to get off off of each check we didn't talk about it you didn't talk about it so you had no idea what you were working with no so then why did you agree to do it CU I was desperate for making the money but you had no idea how much you were going to make off of each transaction and this is your first time doing it yes here in Florida yeah okay what about any other state maybe I'm not going to ask you questions I don't know the answers to so you've been very honest but I know you know more okay so let's keep going so you met them with the gas station in halia yeah did they drive to you yeah and how did you get there how do I get where to the gas station I walked you walked and then you were in their car the whole time yeah what kind of car did they drive where gr Nissan gr Nissan is it their car or rent I really don't know you don't know how many people were in the car me and another person another guy doing the same thing or the driver just another person yeah doing the same thing maybe yeah yes yes I can't answer for you yeah I guess they just driving me to somewhere that's it okay what time this morning did that start that start at 9 10 9 or 10 this morning okay and so what's the guy that was driving you around do you know his name no I really don't know know him you don't know him no not at all a black white hispanic he was white yeah um did you call him by a name or did he say a nickname or anything of that nature we didn't talk about that we he we didn't even speak didn't speak you just got in the car yeah and so the other guy that was with you do you know him no I don't was he white black Hispanic male female I tell you yeah he was white white okay and you guys got in the back seat yeah no I was in the front seat uh-huh and the other guy was in the back seat no no other guy I said it was me and another person oh the other person is the driver yeah okay thank you for making me understand that better um so what was the conversation like on how was he explaining your job your task yeah we just got to uh to the bank and she he just hand me this and tell me how you go and that's it changed me Chang the that's it and then the first bank was where I don't really know cuz I don't I'm not from here so how many Bank things did you stop at today three okay so we know two out of the three so where was the third one the the two I got see yeah went to two yeah two or three two two B yeah okay we we'll work on that a little bit more in a second all right um so you go to the First Bank yeah or you're in the car are you using your own driver's license no I don't have I can't drive so okay your own ID card yeah I have my license but I can't I can't drive right now okay and that's fine I don't care about you driving I I don't I could get to shits about you driving or not driving I'm talking about did they give you a driver's license or ID card with your name on it or did you use your own that was mine yeah okay and then they gave you a check yeah okay and what did the check have on it the check yeah did they give you a check to go into the bank with yeah okay explain that just a normal check with my name on it and was that odd to you or you don't really um I don't know don't really just like I told you I just they just give me that and I did my job and that's it okay so what did they say your job was to do just go ahead and check and cash out Cas out yeah so they said they're going to get now I'm paraphrasing because I'm trying to understand and I don't want to put words in your mouth that you did not say so please correct me interrupt me say no that's not right okay um you get in the car we're going to take you to a bank you're going to cash this check that's it right they give you a check with your name on it yeah you know you didn't make that money um from you didn't question the check that they gave you who is it from no not really not really no and your job was to cash the check at the bank yeah and then do what with the money once you got out of the bank that's it you get to keep all of the money no okay so when you guys she send out the money to to to his owner I guess okay um when you got in back in the car for the First Bank mhm cuz you're saying there's only two mhm okay you actually got the money you were successful correct yeah okay um did he meet you around the corner did you have to call him did you say okay I'm I'm ready for pickup how'd that work uh no I just he just waited me outside and the S outside yeah okay and so you got in the car and then what was your what were you supposed to do after that once you got the car I said I told you I didn't ask no questions no no did you give him all the money yeah and did he give you any money back no okay um that money that I had is my money that's it's nothing nothing to do with that was that legally earned no rightfully earned yeah okay and how much money did you have positive with that okay I had uh $82 $82 and was that from working yes what do you do I work at warehouse okay and they pay they pay me cash and sometimes I like I clean cars and I'm really good at okay good good good good um and so that was successful right and then you're off to do it again and so what did do you know how long you were supposed to be doing this it was a whole day thing we long um while you guys were driving did he answer any phone calls no not really maybe to his F I don't know just a female on the other line you heard a female yeah did he say anything or hear anything that no about what you're doing nothing about it nothing okay um and then what happens when you get to the one on us one just got there got off the car and went to the bank and then how did they get involved oh uh no not the uniform oh yeah somebody came in just checked me and just sit me down and that's it and then what happened to your driver I don't really know don't know did he did at any point in time while you were in the bank was your phone ringing yeah my phone was ringing was it what no it was a friend of mine another it wasn't the friend that came with me it was another friend yeah and the one of you guys were saying that that was my friend that was a friend he was at his house he was just calling me by FaceTime did he know what you you were doing no don't really does anybody know what you're doing no what about your mom no especially not my mom what would your mom say you were right here right now I really don't want to talk about it cuz she she has some some really bad health issues and that's the the most thing you know that is bothering me right now that is going through my mind and you live with your mom yeah yeah um and you don't want her to go back with the pill issues because are you her only son um um yeah I'm I'm not her only son favorite you're the favorite you're the favorite don't say that every mom has a favorite boy don't say that I'm telling you you guys have a close relationship yeah my my sister lives in New Mexico okay you know she got her own life okay I I have an A available to set up you know have a relationship or nothing just live with my mom that's good um you have a warrant are you aware of the warrant yeah they told me it's was not I didn't know about it okay did they explain to you where it's from or who issued you they told me to be Virginia or something so tell me about Virginia yeah so I that was a long time ago okay tell me about it just I just went through to go to New York you well what Happ what's the War I know you have a warrant for Virginia who they Virginia wants you um but I don't know I have not done any homework on that and that's the truth okay so I have no idea is it a fraud warrant it sounds like it's a 52 based on the language on that okay so it's another like a check fraud mhm does that sound familiar maybe yeah come on what do you want me to tell you the truth I mean I'm not charging you but you know that was a long time ago right and you were on the run for a long while I just knew about it how long ago maybe that was 2021 earli 2021 not that long ago yeah and were you doing the exact same thing yeah okay and then how were you do you know but like I like I told you I didn't know like it was fraud or nothing just hey do this I wasn't like in my mind it wasn't something that was doing wrong it was just something like hang out to me and be like hey do that's it and that okay and that connection that was made up what state Virginia yes um was that the same connection that you have down here what make same connection so whoever put you to work in Virginia those some different people different different people but do they know anything cuz I like I said I don't know that case so I don't know if there's a relationship between the two no none of that none of that no okay just I you know they handed it out to me I said it's the the the same thing you know and I did and I went but this one you know it's the same thing as the one up there no but I like I told you I didn't I didn't know it was something for FES just hanging that out to me and that's it but what about this one again I didn't know how what do you mean how do you not know they just hand it out to me if someone's issuing you a check for work that you did not do and they're having they're driving you around like I told you I I don't know nothing about this I really don't you were comfortable of doing that like I wasn't like on my mind I I wasn't doing nothing wrong like I tell you 22 23 about to be 23 okay when's your birthday um in your phone yeah do you have these people's contact number but you I know then how would you talk to them cuz they they they like I told you they wanted to pick me up and that's it so who put you saying yeah I'm here or yeah I'll do the job for you no they was not talking on the phone about it okay so how was the how did how did they go down in halia it's just that I I I usually like clean cars in theas in the corner of my house and they just people want to find me I just could go over there and I guess they find me so they heard about I was really frustrated because I was was cleaning the cars and you know just pull up to me so would you have any problems with us going through your phone to confirm that so we don't have to take your phone I'm really not comfortable with that okay so if there's any evidence on there we'll have to keep your phone all right um that's fine you're okay with being out without your phone I guess I mean it could be as easy as we can confirm that there's nothing on there nothing leading us to the bigger guy who we want just say that again I'm sorry no no nothing I don't I'm okay with with everything we talk all right okay that's fair um or something else that you said I wanted to touch on do you understand what the extradition warrant means do you understand what that process means um can't you explain me yeah so you'll be booked into our County jail and you'll sit on our charges once they write everything up um and then once your case is closed and finished which will take some time all you'll be sent to Virginia to do the same process because Virginia wants you um you're not going to be free to leave or bonded out or any of that because you have so I don't have a bount so I need to do my time here then go and then you'll they'll ship you off to Virginia and I'm going to tell you that because we're going to allow you to call your mom thank you and your mom's going to want to know that and I think you're going to want to tell your mom what's going on and that so sorry sorry for you don't have to so you're telling me I don't have no bond you're not going to have a bond because Virginia wants you if you didn't have a warrant for your arrest you probably would have a bond the warrant is what's keeping you from being bonded out tonight or even so tomorrow because they're not going to let you free to leave because Virginia has a warrant for your rest all right I think that's something of you deserve to know especially if you um are going to be calling your mom thank you for that um appreciate it I told them because you've been cooperative and we've been cool and nothing's happened I said once you get back downstairs they'll give you that right thank you okay that's nothing that we um that's all I ask now and you've been cool with us um we normally don't do that but at at this point I don't see why we can't do that for you okay I respect that I respect you I respect you thank you um that I'm going to ask you one more time and you tell me go pound sand yes or no do you have a phone number for anyone that could lead us to anything in your phone that's tell you okay that's okay do you have any questions for me I don't think so