Unity woman charged in $10,200 check-cashing scheme
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A Unity woman is accused of cashing $10,200 in fraudulent checks mailed to her by an “online” paramour and then sending him the cash, state police said.
Marjorie E. Aukerman, 56, is charged with theft by deception, receiving stolen property and assisting in consummation of a crime in connection with the check-cashing scheme police say occurred in January.
Trooper Dylan Weaver said in court documents that Aukerman was dubious of the checks mailed to her by the suspect she never met and took them to a Commercial Bank office in Latrobe, where she was told by bank officials Jan. 16 that it was a fraud scheme.
However, Dylan allegesthat Aukerman deposited the checks into her bank account through an ATM in Pleasant Unity later that day, another one Jan. 18 and again Jan. 22.
She later withdrew cash from the account and forwarded it via Federal Express to a Maryland address, and the rest through gift cards sent to “Mark Harold” and “Jason King,” who claimed to be U.S. Marines in Maryland, according to court records.
The checks eventually were not able to be processed.
Weaver said he checked the names given to Aukerman, with the address, through military sources “which yielded zero results.”
When Aukerman recently was questioned about being duped in the scam, Weaver reported that she “confessed to the aforementioned events and related that she knew what she was doing and deserved to be punished.”
Reached by phone Thursday, Aukerman said that although she was told by bank officials it was a well-known fraud scheme before she allegedly cashed the checks, she proceeded with the transactions “because I received conflicting reports … I was told it was OK to go ahead, too.”
Aukerman added that she has applied for a public defender to fight the criminal charges.
Aukerman was released on signature bond pending a preliminary hearing March 23.