Schenectady Check Washing Case: Woman Guilty Plea Revealed!
A 43-year-old woman from Schenectady, Averil Hall-Lewis, has pleaded guilty to serious charges in Albany County Court. On Wednesday, August 21, Hall-Lewis admitted to second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and criminal possession of a forgery device.
These charges were part of a larger 66-count indictment, which has now been satisfied with her guilty plea, according to the office of District Attorney David Soares.
Hall-Lewis was involved in a check-washing scheme that took place between August 23 and October 21, 2023. During this time, she and her co-defendants stole checks from mailboxes, washed them to remove the original details, and then filled them out for various amounts of money. The stolen funds were then split among the participants of this fraudulent operation.
The scheme targeted several financial institutions, including Trustco Bank branches, Next Step Federal Credit Union, Broadview Federal Credit Union, School Systems Federal Credit Union, and Sunmark Federal Credit Union.
So far, it is known that at least $7,500 was defrauded through this scheme, though the total amount of money stolen has not yet been finalized. The check-washing operation used the personal information and identities of 29 individuals to carry out these fraudulent activities.
Hall-Lewis is set to be sentenced on Monday, October 28, where she faces a potential prison sentence of 7 to 21 years. The case involves multiple co-defendants, with Robert Odom, 67, pleading guilty to four counts on a separate indictment, and Elizabeth Dolder, 51, pleading guilty to six counts.
This case highlights the serious nature of identity theft and financial fraud, as well as the lengths to which some individuals will go to steal money. The legal consequences for those involved are severe, reflecting the significant impact of their crimes on the victims and the financial institutions targeted.