A 19-year-old Indian student, Aryan Anand, was expelled from Lehigh University and deported back to India after his elaborate scheme to secure admission and financial aid was uncovered by a Reddit moderator. Anand had forged transcripts, financial statements, and even a death certificate to gain entry, but his lies were exposed when he confessed in a Reddit post. He ultimately pleaded guilty to forgery and faced potential jail time but was spared after university officials intervened.
Robin Mobley of Trotwood, Ohio, is fighting to reclaim her home after it was fraudulently transferred through a quitclaim deed. The suspected perpetrator, realtor Demetrious Rush, signed the deed without Mobley’s knowledge, forging her signature on the document. Despite her efforts to press criminal charges after discovering the fraud, the case was hindered by Rush’s death in 2017. Mobley now faces $13,000 in delinquent taxes accumulated during the time her home was illegally owned by Rush Plaza Corp. The incident has highlighted the rising issue of quitclaim deed fraud in the Mid-South region, with over 400 cases reported. Mobley, representing herself in court due to financial constraints, is determined to fight for not only her home but also for others who have fallen victim to similar fraudulent practices.
Eleven Arizona Republicans, including prominent party figures and state legislators, have been charged with conspiracy, fraud, and forgery for submitting a false document claiming that Donald Trump won Arizona in the 2020 presidential election. The indictments mark the fourth state to bring charges against individuals known as ‘fake electors’ who sought to overturn the election results. Biden won Arizona by over 10,000 votes, and the 11 Republicans were among those who unsuccessfully challenged his victory in court.
Brett Andrew Nelson was arrested in Gunnison on February 15, 2023, for various felony counts of criminal extortion, retaliation against a judge, and attempt to influence a public servant, as well as stalking, forgery, and other charges. In April 2022, a statewide grand jury found Nelson guilty of 20 out of 24 charges for committing extortion and threatening judges, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, attorneys, and citizens in Gunnison, Montrose, and Alamosa Counties over two years.
A senior official in the Eastern Cape Department of Health has been arrested for fraud, forgery, and uttering. The official, who handed himself over to detectives in East London, is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
A couple from Defuniak Springs, Florida, has been arrested and charged with presenting a forged lottery ticket and grand theft. Dakota Jones, 32, and his girlfriend, Kira Enders, 36, allegedly attempted to claim a $1 million prize with a fake ticket. The ticket was a combination of two separate tickets that had been taped together crudely. Lottery officials determined the ticket was a non-winner, and the couple was detained for investigation. Jones and Enders each gave different accounts of how they acquired the ticket, according to an affidavit. They were released on bond and are scheduled to appear in court in mid-May.
