Police: Check fraud ring is the “new generation bank robbers”

By Steve Klamkin WPRO News

Providence Police arrested four people, are seeking at least three more and called in the FBI to help sort out a “major” check fraud ring that cashed hundreds of thousands of dollars of checks with help from a bank employee in a scheme described as the “new generation bank robbers.”

“This is the new generation bank robbers,” said Providence Police Major David Lapatin. “You don’t go into the bank with a gun anymore and hold it up, you do it this way.”

Lapatin said that Shantel Meza, 30, of Cumberland, a worker at a Citizens Bank branch in North Smithfield was a central figure in the scheme. She was charged with conspiracy, accessing a computer for fraudulent purposes and obtaining property by false pretenses, and released on bond for a court conference in January.

Additionally, police arrested Cindy Quiroa, 22, Monica DosSantos, 29 and Jamal Mansaray, 28, all of Providence, on charges ranging from conspiracy to forgery and counterfeiting and obtaining property by false pretenses.

Lapatin, commander of the detective division said the scheme came to light in June when a retired firefighter found thousands of dollars missing from his checking account. Soon, other fraudulently cashed checks were found, some involving a number of cities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

“Today we have also asked the FBI to join us in a joint investigation,” Laptain said.

“We believe right now that there are many people out there that still don’t even realize that they have had money taken from their accounts.”

He urged municipalities and businesses with large payrolls and even individuals to check their accounts, and to report any discrepancies to Detective George Duarte at 401-243-6340.

 

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