Ogema Woman Charged After Cashing $183,000 Check Error
OGEMA, Minn. (trfnews.i234.me) — An Ogema woman is facing a felony theft charge after allegedly cashing an accidental $183,000 check that was mistakenly sent to her son. According to court documents, Phoenix Badboy of Ogema has been charged with Felony Theft – No Consent in Becker County District Court.
Investigators say the White Earth Reservation Business Committee accidentally issued a check for $183,397.35 to Badboy’s son. Instead of returning the funds, Phoenix Badboy allegedly went to the Shooting Star Casino and cashed the check at the cashier’s vault.
Surveillance video reviewed by law enforcement showed a woman matching Badboy’s description cashing the check. When officers went to contact her and her son, both were initially unaccounted for. Authorities later located Badboy, who was arrested and taken into custody.
She now faces a felony count of Theft – No Consent. The court documents do not indicate whether the $183,000 has been recovered. Officials from the White Earth Reservation are cooperating with investigators to track the missing funds.
The case highlights the importance of verifying large financial transactions and promptly reporting any accidental payments. The White Earth Police Department and Becker County authorities continue to investigate.
For information on protecting yourself from check fraud or reporting financial crimes, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s Check Fraud Guide.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
