Woman Arrested For Distributing Hundreds of Counterfeit Checks

October 29, 2009 - Houston Police Department Financial Crimes Unit investigators have arrested and charged a woman for distributing hundreds of counterfeit checks and money orders to others throughout the country.

The suspect, Margaret Montgomery (b/f, DOB: 1-13-60), is charged with one count of forgery of a government instrument and one count of forgery of a commercial instrument in the 182nd State District Court. Investigators have also contacted the local United States Attorney to explore the possibility of filing federal criminal charges against Montgomery.

Investigators received information that Montgomery was receiving packages containing hundreds of counterfeit financial documents at her house, 11903 Golden Lodge Lane, in Northwest Harris County. She was then filling out the payee information on these documents and mailing them to other individuals throughout the country. On October 23, a search and arrest warrant was executed and resulted in the seizure of more than 600 counterfeit checks and money orders with a face value of almost one million dollars. Investigators were also able to intercept another package addressed to Montgomery containing 300 more documents worth $400,000 dollars.

Documents seized include United States Post Office, Money Gram, Western Union, and Wal-Mart money orders, and United States Navy Federal Credit Union and various other banks’ cashier’s checks. Montgomery herself had also begun to print counterfeit checks.

Montgomery admitted she posted her resume online and was contacted via email by a person needing an employee to process payments for a business. She then began distributing the documents, which were being shipped to her home from various overseas locations. “We want to remind everyone to be suspicious of any employment offers they receive online, especially if they involve work at home jobs offering high compensation,” said Lieutenant Robert Manzo, supervisor of the HPD Financial Crimes Unit.

For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200 .