STROUDSBURG, PA — Stroud Area Regional Police have issued an arrest warrant for a man accused of depositing a fraudulent cashier’s check and withdrawing thousands of dollars before the bank discovered the fraud.
Righteous King, 44, of Pennsylvania, is charged with forgery and theft by unlawful taking.
Police took a complaint of fraud from ESSA Bank at 744 Main Street on June 10, 2024.
According to police, King deposited a cashier’s check for $48,000 on May 31, 2024.
King returned to the bank on June 3, 2024, and withdrew $7,500 in cash, then withdrew another $7,000 later that day, police said.
The bank was notified on June 4, 2024, that the check was fraudulent.
Bank officials advised King that the check was fraudulent and that he needed to return the money, according to police.
King told the bank he was not familiar with the person who was the remitter of the check.
King was also advised that a police investigation was underway and said he was working to rectify the situation with the bank, but he did not, police said.
King then failed to return calls from the bank and the police department and has not returned any of the money, according to police.
The arrest warrant was issued Oct. 16.
