[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 02/26/20]
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MOUNT DORA, Florida — A Leesburg woman is being held in the Lake County Jail on a $7,000 bond after police say she fraudulently cashed several checks that belonged to a dead man.
According to a probable cause affidavit written by a Mount Dora Police detective, in July 2019, Kimberly Joy White, 45, went into the Mount Dora branch of a local bank and cashed a check for $500 drawn off an account later found to be closed and belonging to a man who died several months earlier.
An employee familiar with White mentioned White’s account balance was low and noticed she had not received any direct deposits from her last known employer. White told the employee she just wanted to cash the check because she needed to pay bills. After White left, the bank received emails from the Leesburg and Clermont branches of the bank advising White had cashed several other checks for the same amount. Research found the account the checks were drawn off of was closed, the affidavit states.
Police performed an internet search on the name on the bank account the checks were drawn off of and found the man had died in May 2019 — the same time White received her last direct deposit from her last known employer.
White was identified in a photo lineup and a warrant was issued for her arrest. White was nabbed Friday in Mount Dora, according to her arrest affidavit and charged with two counts of uttering a false instrument, grand theft and petit theft.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
