Crime & Safety
Maryland Woman Admits To Forging Checks For Narragansett Rental
Lauren Houck, 31, used three checks with forged signatures, totaling $14,000, to pay for the rental from Nov. 2018 to Dec. 2019.
NARRAGANSETT, RI — A Maryland woman admitted in court to stealing checks from her former employer for fraudulent means, including a rental home in Narragansett, Rhode Island. Lauren Houck, 31, said she stole the identity of a customer to forge dozens of checks totaling nearly $300,000.
The scheme started in June 2018, when Houck took blank checks from two businesses, including her then-employer. She then stole the identity of a customer, forging her signature on 83 checks worth $291,400.
The checks were used for "a lavish lifestyle," the Rhode Island U.S. Attorney's office said. This included a rental house in Narragansett From Nov. 2018 to Dec. 2019. Houck used three fraudulent checks, totaling $14,000, to pay for the rental.
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In U.S. District Court in Providence, Houck pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. She is scheduled to be sentenced May 27. The charge carries a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison, fine of up to $250,000 and one year of supervised release.
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