SPOKANE, Wash. — A Spokane man has been arrested in connection with a fraud scheme in which he and others allegedly forged checks totaling more than $56,000.
According to court docs, Devaunte Hickman-Young, 28 is accused of participating in a series of fraudulent transactions at Washington Trust Bank. Hickman-Young allegedly assumed another person’s identity to open a bank account, which was then used to deposit forged checks and withdraw funds before the transactions were flagged.
Investigators said that Hickman-Young worked with a group that opened multiple fraudulent accounts and deposited forged checks. Between Oct. 16 and Nov. 4, Hickman-Young is accused of depositing 36 forged checks totaling $56,380 and withdrawing the maximum allowable amounts before the transactions were discovered.
Washington Trust Bank’s fraud department said that they reported the activity to Crime Check on Nov. 8. The bank provided surveillance footage showing Hickman-Young conducting transactions at branches across Spokane, along with copies of altered checks and a detailed list of fraudulent transactions.
Investigators said that the bank suffered a total loss of $11,740 from withdrawals made by Hickman-Young at ATMs.
Hickman-Young faces the following charges:
One count of identity theft for assuming another person’s identityThirty-six counts of financial fraud for depositing forged checksTwenty-five counts of money laundering for withdrawing funds from fraudulent accountsOne count of first-degree theft for stealing $11,740 from the bank
Investigators said that Hickman-Young and his group were part of a larger fraud ring that opened accounts, deposited forged checks and made rapid withdrawals before detection. Court documents state that none of the deposited checks were legitimate.
Hickman-Young made his first appearance in Spokane Superior Court, where his bond was set at $20,000.
