Nine people were arrested in connection with a money laundering scheme involving employees at a Northwest Indiana fast food restaurant who stole customers' credit card information, which was used to fraudulently obtain funds and post bail for multiple inmates at the LaPorte County Jail, according to authorities.
According to the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office, the fraud scheme was revealed in December after jail staff started noticing irregularities of funds on some inmate's accounts. Large sums of money were placed onto the accounts of some inmates, who used the funds to bond out "almost immediately," according to authorities. Upon release from jail, the individuals left with the remaining balance on a jail-issued debit card.
Investigators continued to monitor the activity, which eventually led them to discover a fraud scheme involving multiple employees at the Hardee's in Michigan City, as well as other individuals, according to police. The sheriff's office stated that a few Hardee's employees photographed credit/debit card numbers of drive-thru customers, and those card numbers were fraudulently used to obtain funds for inmates' accounts. After posting bond and receiving jail-issued debit cards, the former inmates went to an ATM where they withdrew the remaining balance on the debit or credit cards.
Deputies said a total of $14,700 was stolen through the scheme. As of Friday, the victims were working with their financial institutions to get their money back.
The following individuals, listed below along with their charges, were apprehended by authorities:
- Darrien R. Ward - Felony fraud and felony criminal organizational activity
- Prince C. Arnold - Felony fraud and felony criminal organizational activity
- Kristin R. Vanschoyck - Felony fraud and felony criminal organizational activity
- Madison M. Zuk - Felony conspiracy to committ fraud and felony criminal organizational activity
- Anissa C. Higginbotham - Felony conspiracy to commit fraud and felony criminal organizational activity
- Hollie D. LaChapelle - Felony conspiracy to commit fraud and felony criminal organizational activity
- Carissa A. Bealor - Felony conspiracy to commit fraud and felony criminal organizational activity
- Lawrence Armstrong - Felony conspiracy to commit fraud and felony criminal organizational activity
- Moesha Monique Savanna Payne - Felony conspiracy to commit fraud and felony criminal organizational activity
A warrant has been issued for a 10th individual, Dylnn V. Scott, who is accused of felony conspiracy to commit fraud and felony criminal organizational activity. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call the office's Fugitive Apprehension Street Team at 219-608-9572 or Michiana Crime Stoppers.
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