A man was arrested for Grand Larceny after reportedly receiving a fraudulent stimulus check in March, according to the Utica Police Department.
Nicolas Smith, 37, of Utica, tried to cash a $1,400 stimulus check in a local check-cashing shop in February 2022. In March 2021, he had also cashed a check. The business declined to cash the stimulus money and reported it to the Utica Police Department, believing it was a fraudulent check.
Stimulus Check Fraud News: The Case Was Turned Over To The CID
Nicolas Smith was able to cash the second check at a separate location after the investigation was turned over to the Criminal Investigations Division.
The Treasury Department had documents showing they sent $1,400 checks forward from their check-cashing account, which left them at a loss, according to the Utica Police Department.
Smith had reported the first check as stolen and had cashed it fraudulently, according to investigators in this case.
He was able to get the second stimulus check later.
On March 29, Nicolas Smith was arrested and charged with Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree.
Eyewitnesses will update the story’s new information as soon as becomes available.