Fraudster plundered dead man's bank account

A 40-year-old man today admitted stealing a cheque book from a dead man’s home and depositing $7,300 into his bank account.

Lerone Ming of no fixed abode pleaded guilty to 14 counts relating to cheque book fraud in Magistrates’ Court.

He admitted entering a Coot Pond Road, St George’s home as a trespasser and stealing a Butterfield Bank cheque book.

He also admitted four counts of forging cheques, four counts of using the cheques, four counts falsely obtaining money and one count of stealing $3,200 from the bank all between December 31 and February 21.

Crown counsel Susan Mulligan told the court the cheque book belonged to a Mr Trott of Trott’s Manor Enterprises who had died. The executor of his estate is Judith Ann Simmons.

The court heard Ms Simmons closed the account relating to the cheque book and secured the cheque book in the Coot Pond Road home in September.

In December, Ms Simmons went to check on the property and found that everything was in order.

When she returned in February, she saw evidence that someone had broken into the property and the cheque book was missing.

Police were called and a report was made.

Between January 28 and February 21, Ming deposited four cheque into his Butterfield Bank account via ATM.  All four cheques were signed with forged signatures of Mr Trott.

The cheques totaled $7,300.

Ms Mulligan told the court Ming then used his debit card to withdraw $3,200 from his accounts. But the bank eventually put a block on the account and the remaining funds were recovered.

Ming was arrested when he went to the bank to withdraw more money. In a police interview, he admitted the offences.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo ordered pre-sentencing reports and adjourned the matter to April 17 for sentencing. Ming was remanded into custody.