MANSFIELD — Nearly $900,000 in alleged bank fraud was uncovered during an investigation by Mansfield police and the U.S. Secret Service.
Since June 2022, the Secret Service, along with Mansfield detectives, have identified more than $893,000 in potential/attempted fraud losses, according to MPD Assistant Chief Jason Bammann.
The fraud included counterfeit checks, fraudulent ATM withdrawals, point-of-sale and PIN purchases, and cash withdrawals from Kroger stories, primarily in the Mansfield area, police said.
Officials with the U.S. Secret Service office in Cleveland, Mansfield detectives and police, members of the Northern Ohio Financial Crimes Task Force of the Secret Service and Lexington police have served two residential search warrants related to a crime ring involved in bank fraud, wire fraud, access device fraud, and forgery.
The location of the search was not released by authorities.
Bammann said Timothy Paul Robinson, 26, was charged with third-degree felony counterfeiting. His address was not released and local online court records didn’t show any current cases involving a defendant by that name.
“This joint investigation has identified over 50 suspects/willing participants involved in this criminal activity,” Bammann said.
Further charges will follow as this investigation continues and officials continue to identify other participants in this ring, he said.
One of the main targeted locations was Park National Bank. The actual loss suffered by Park National Bank is more than $491,000.00, according to Bammann.
“This fraud is continuing with the latest fraudulent activity occurring on Jan. 25, with a total loss of $11,900.08,” he said.
Police said the investigation focused on a group of suspects making counterfeit checks and altering MoneyGrams in the name of both business and personal accounts.
The counterfeit checks are routinely deposited into a willing participant’s bank account, police said.
After a counterfeit check is successfully deposited, the suspects then make ATM cash withdrawals and point-of-sale transactions at Kroger stores in the northern Ohio area, including several Mansfield locations, according to Bammann.
Those with information about the case are asked to call Mansfield police Det. Korey Kaufman at 419-755-9748.
