PICS OF DAY

PICS OF DAY
Virgin Mary In Tree Stump?

°

Homepage / Orlando News
Text Size

Woman Allegedly Scams Bank Out Of $60,000

Police: 37-Year-Old Was Part Of Pyramid Schemes, Nigerian Scam

POSTED: Thursday, May 6,
UPDATED: 4:45 pm EDT May 6, 2004

A woman has been charged in connection with a fraud scheme that cost a bank in Brevard County, Fla, approximately $60,000.

Linda Francie VanGinderachter, 37, of Summer Place in Merritt Island was charged with scheming to defraud and grand theft, clerk of courts records show.

VanGinderachter was arrested at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday by Brevard sheriff's agent Tim Anlicker, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported.

Sheriff's deputies were contacted after officials from Bank of America discovered the suspected fraud, said sheriff's spokeswoman Yvonne Martinez.

According to Martinez: on March 14 and March 20, VanGinderachter deposited two checks- $32,500 and $35,500 respectively - into her Bank of America account, which she opened in Merritt Island. She then withdrew the money prior to the checks being returned as counterfeit. The money was wire transferred out of the country.

Bank of America incurred a financial lose of approximately $60,000 from this incident, Martinez said.

A hold has been placed on VanGinderachter while the U.S. Border Patrol reviews her passport and status in the United States, Martinez said.

Martinez said that through interviews and consent searches, it was discovered that VanGinderachter was a part of other scams, such as pyramid schemes and Nigerian fraud.

Chain letters, Nigerian scam letters and mailing list were discovered in her apartment, Martinez said. In addition, agents recovered numerous e-mails with regards to the Nigerian scam. Several wire transfer receipts were discovered that indicate that the money was sent to both Spain and Nigeria, Martinez said.

"No victims of these incidents have been discovered at this time," Martinez said.

Martinez said VanGinderachter did not have a work Visa for the United States, but was financially able to acquire an apartment and vehicle. She claims to be a translator, an attorney in Europe and a realtor in Florida.

"We have not been able to establish that VanGinderachter had a legitimate source of income," Martinez said. "It does appear that she was laundering money to individuals outside of the United States."

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

Links We Like

Sponsored Content
Is your bathroom in serious need of an update? We’ve got the tips and tricks to help you turn it into a major selling point in your home. More

There is no absolute number of drinks per day that defines alcoholism. Learn the behavior and body reactions that constitute alcoholism. More

Find out what a sputtering economy and an increasingly difficult to crack job market means to you. More

The signs of Cancer can sometimes be very subtle. Here's a guide to help you recognize them early. More

Most Popular