Police Investigate Counterfeit Check Scheme

Lower Southampton Police are investigating five subjects allegedly involved in a counterfeit check scheme and whether they are a part of a bigger ring.

According to Phillyburbs, these five subjects are suspected of cashing counterfeit checks using local business's bank account information.

Four of the five suspects have been identified by Lower Southampton Police who allegedly stole more than $10,000 combined from two Feasterville medical staffing businesses last month, Phillyburbs reported.

Two suspects are in custody and arrest warrants have been issued for two other suspects.

"These (suspects) have been identified in neighboring counties/states doing the same thing to other victim businesses/banks," Lower Southampton Detective Eric Landamia said, noting that there "definitely" is a connection.

Demetrius Green, 20, of Philadelphia and Ariel McFarlane, 28, also of Philadelphia, allegedly targeted Encore Medical Staffing, which has an office on E. Myrtle Avenue. The company reported that at least six counterfeit checks drawn on its Wells Fargo business account had been cashed Sept. 27 and Sept. 28.

Green allegedly cashed $3,709 worth of fake checks that were made payable to “Jamal Green,” “Demarcus Brown” or “Mark Green” on Encore’s account, police said. Green was seen in surveillance video cashing the checks with a phony driver’s license, that police added.

McFarlane is accused of using a phony driver’s license to cash two checks totaling $1,471 on Encore’s account, police said. Landamia told Patch that he will be turning himself in at 10 a.m. today.

Last month, police said, that Vitacare on E. Street Road reported that at least seven counterfeit checks were passed on Sept. 19 using the company’s business information and TD Bank account number. The total loss was $5,001.36.

The checks were made payable to three other suspects in the case — Jon Whitters, 26, of Philadelphia, Thomas Manigault, 35, of Upper Darby and the unidentified suspect, who used the identities of “Terrance Williams” and “Charles Smith,” police added.

In both cases, the fake checks were cashed at bank branches in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Green is scheduled to be arraigned this week on 13 felony charges, including identity theft, forgery and access device crimes. He is incarcerated in Philadelphia, according to police.

Whitters, who is facing six felony charges, including forgery and access device crimes, and related misdemeanors, surrendered last week. He is in Bucks County prison in lieu of 10 percent of $25,000 bail.

Lower Southampton police have issued arrest warrants for McFarlane and Manigault also on charges of forgery and access device crimes.

Investigators are continuing to searching for Thomas Manigualt.

Anyone with information about the pictured subjects, identified or otherwise, please contact Det. Eric Landamia at 215-357-1235 ext. 339 or ELandamia@Lstwp.org.