READING, Pa.—A Pennsylvania credit union helped uncover an alleged fraud scheme involving a stolen $2.2-million U.S. Treasury check after staff flagged an attempt to deposit the payment into a newly opened business account, according to the Reading Eagle.
The newspaper reported that a man wearing medical scrubs entered Diamond Credit Union’s Spring Township branch on May 20 and attempted to deposit the Treasury check into an account purportedly belonging to Banyan Community Health Center, a Florida nonprofit healthcare provider. Credit union employees became suspicious because of the size of the check and the fact the account had been opened only days earlier.
Investigators later determined the Treasury check was legitimate but had apparently been stolen before reaching its intended recipient. Authorities said the individual used false identification and claimed to be the nonprofit’s chief financial officer. A subsequent review found the account had been opened May 8 using fraudulent information, including an address that investigators determined had no connection to the organization.
According to the Reading Eagle, police later arrested 51-year-old David Dar after he allegedly attempted a similar scheme at a First National Bank branch in Wyomissing. Investigators said Dar was linked to multiple fraudulent transactions involving stolen, altered or forged checks, including a previous $250,000 deposit and an attempted $37,000 withdrawal from an account belonging to a New York medical practice.
Dar faces multiple felony charges, including identity theft, forgery, access-device fraud, mail theft and receiving stolen property. Authorities said cooperation among Diamond Credit Union, law enforcement agencies and financial institutions helped identify the suspect and prevent the Treasury funds from being improperly negotiated, the Reading Eagle noted.