Check cooking scheme: What we know about the people linked to seized car
Our Better Call Behnken investigation has started to piece together a multi-county check-cooking fraud that has resulted in no arrests for the scheme. A Better Call Behnken investigation has begun to piece together a multi-county check-cooking fraud that has resulted in no arrests for the scheme, despite a documented history with law enforcement. The central character in this investigation is 23-year-old "Keelee" Keelee, a woman who Temple Terrace police say they have caught her on surveillance video cashing an altered check belonging to a salon owner. However, they have closed their case, stating it's up to law enforcement in Pinellas County, since the check was cashed there. Public records show that this fraud has been going on since at least July 2023 and continues to occur. The case is currently under investigation.
Published : 4 weeks ago by Shannon Behnken in
TAMPA, Fla. – (WFLA) — Our Better Call Behnken investigation has started to piece together a multi-county check-cooking fraud that has resulted in no arrests for the scheme.
This is despite a documented history that the same persons of interest have with law enforcement. On at least three separate occasions, law enforcement detained some of the same group of people after finding stolen personal information and check-altering materials.
This has been going on since at least July 2023, records show, yet the group appears to be continuing their fraudulent activity, according to public records.
The central character in this Better Call Behnken investigation is 23-year-old “Keelee,” a woman who Temple Terrace police tell me they have on surveillance video cashing an altered check belonging to a salon owner.
They’ve closed their case, saying it’s up to law enforcement in Pinellas County, since the check was cashed there.
Keep that in mind while we take a quick dive into public records to paint a picture what appears to be an ongoing organized crime.
First, last week, we reported about a car, registered to this same Keelee that Largo police said that they found in January, while investigating a rental property fraud. The car was packed full of multiple people’s unopened mail, credit cards and checks.
Their case is closed and multiple agencies I’ve contacted said they’re not investigating what was found in the car.
Now let’s back up to July 2023.
Public records show the Pinellas County Sheriff’s responded to another alleged rental property fraud, involving a man identified as Keelee’s boyfriend.
The report states the man had a fake ID from Pennsylvania and claimed he flew down from “Pennsylvania airport” to see Keelee. He couldn’t name the major city near his supposed hometown.
Deputies found multiple credit cards with different names, 50 pages of blank check paper, multiple licenses and a printer, jammed with more IDs, credit cards and social security cards.
Records show the boyfriend was arrested and charged with giving a false name. At the jail, records show, a charge was added for attempting to smuggle in live ammunition, “tucked underneath a male body part.”
Now let’s move on to November, 2023 when the sheriff’s office was contacted about another rental fraud.
The rental manager had a picture of Keelee and her car in the driveway.
Left behind in the home: a back leather briefcase containing numerous credit cards, checks and bank statements in various names.
“It was obvious from the findings that there was apparently some type of financial fraud involved with the findings,” the deputy wrote.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering what happened in the July arrest of Keelee’s boyfriend, court records show the state attorney added felony charges for “fraudulent use of credit card” and unlawful possession of personal identification information.” But just last week, a judge ordered probation.
A spokesman for the sheriff’s office called to clarify that one of the victims identified in their November report asked for a separate investigation. That investigation is only concerning one woman’s stolen mail and the investigation is still active.
Meanwhile, Temple Terrace police said last week they had referred the case to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office because the check was cashed in Pinellas County.
The sheriff’s office has said repeatedly that they had no investigation because it was never sent to them. Well, now the sheriff’s office confirms Temple Terrace just sent the case and now it’s finally under investigation.