Skip navigation

Five Arrested in Publix Fraud Scheme

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — Police here have arrested five men for running a bogus check-cashing ring targeting Publix stores throughout Florida.

The suspects admitted to cashing six counterfeit checks totaling $2,900 at Publix Super Market stores on the same day last week, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office. It was later learned alleged ringleader Leon “Slim” Stovall was under a separate investigation by state police for “several hundred” fake check cashing cases at Publix stores throughout the Southeast, causing the Lakeland, Fla.-based retailer a “substantial loss.”

Police said a U.S. Postal Inspector, Tim Roth, witnessed two suspects cashing a check at a Publix in Spring Hill, Fla., and getting into a car with three others. Suspecting fraud, Roth followed them to another Publix store in Brooksville, where he witnessed them cashing additional checks, and alerted local authorities.

Suggested Categories More from Supermarketnews

 

Hide comments

Comments

  • Allowed HTML tags: <em> <strong> <blockquote> <br> <p>

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
Publish