Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Man accused of writing more than $45,000 in fraudulent checks

by Melissa Farenish


Dalmatia, Pa. — A Dalmatia man was charged for writing 44 fraudulent checks for more than $45,000 and taking advantage of his former landlord. 

Police filed felony forgery charges against Andrew John Souder, 35, after the accuser told them on Dec. 1 that she had discovered a number of fraudulent checks were written and debited out of her bank account. The checks were written from Jan. 2 to Nov. 30, 2023, according to Trooper Michael Adams of state police at Stonington.

The accuser, a 74-year-old woman, had rented a home in Lower Augusta Township to Souder from 2018 to 2022 when she moved out of the country. By October 2022, the accuser sold the home to Souder. She discovered the fraudulent transactions when she received an overdraft notice from her bank on Nov. 22. The accuser told police she had never given Souder her checks nor did she give him authorization to conduct financial transactions on her behalf, Adams wrote in the affidavit. 

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