INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A woman accused of writing a fake check to a check cashing service was detained, thanks to a fingerprint she left behind on the item, deputies said.
Amber Branham
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Deputies said 29-year-old Amber Nicole Branham, of Titusville – along with five others – brought in checks to be cashed in June at One Stop Shop, a check cashing service in Vero Beach. The total amount for the fake checks was more than $6,000, officials said.
Friday, deputies arrested Branham on charges of organized fraud under $20,000, third-degree grand theft and utter forged or counterfeit bill. Branham was held Monday at the Indian River County Jail on $20,000 bond.
It was unclear if the other five involved were arrested.
Indian River County deputies responded to reports of fraud in June at One Stop Shop. An employee told deputies six people came to the store June 10, all cashing checks within an hour, reports show.
The employee cashed the checks. But, a few days later, the store’s bank identified the checks as fraudulent and returned them to the business, reports show.
The employee had copies of each suspects’ drivers license. All of the transactions with the six people were recorded on surveillance footage, reports show.
The employee said the business suffered a financial loss from the fake checks. The checks were written to indicate they were from two local Vero Beach businesses that each had a bank account, reports show.
The suspects made three of the checks appear to be from QOL Medical LLC, a pharmaceutical company, with a Wells Fargo bank account, officials said. The other three checks were made to appear to be from Croom Construction Company with a SunTrust bank account.
Deputies contacted the businesses, which both confirmed the checks were fake, reports show. The companies also told deputies the individuals’ whose names were written on the checks were not employed by the businesses.
Deputies identified Branham as one of the suspects after she left behind a fingerprint on one of the checks, reports show. Deputies arrested Branham and took her to the county jail.
Branham has an arraignment at 8:45 a.m. Feb. 7, 2020, court records show.
