Man sentenced in check fraud case uncovered by Shallotte bank teller

(WWAY) — A man has been sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison after authorities say a Shallotte bank teller helped expose a check fraud scheme involving stolen and counterfeit checks.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, 35-year-old Eric Lamont Salvant pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme and was sentenced by a federal judge.

Court documents say Salvant conspired with two other people to obtain stolen checks through an encrypted messaging app. Investigators say the group altered those stolen checks and created counterfeit ones.

Authorities say Salvant and his co-conspirators then deposited the altered and counterfeit checks into bank accounts belonging to “money mules” recruited by Salvant. The group quickly withdrew the funds as cash, according to prosecutors.

The scheme unraveled when a bank teller in Shallotte alerted police after the group attempted to deposit a counterfeit check.

Police searched the suspects’ car and discovered Salvant attempting to hide a bag containing more than 50 stolen and counterfeit checks and more than 30 debit cards under different names on a grocery store shelf while officers arrested his co-conspirators outside.

Counterfeit checks (Photo: USDOJ)

“Despite the many technological advances in our financial system, some fraudsters are still up to their old tricks,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle in a statement. “Checks can be stolen and used to cheat banks or innocent citizens out of honest money, especially when sent through the mail.”