Page 16 - IAV Digital Magazine #580

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
Hardee’s Employees Charged For
Using Customers Card Numbers
To Bail Out Jail Inmates
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cTximr862I
A group of Hardee’s employees, along with others, have been charged after police uncovered a scheme in which money taken from customers’ credit/debit card num- bers were used bail out jail inmates.
The LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office says last month, La Porte County Jail Commander, Captain Andrew Hahn, along with other members
of the jail administra- tion, noticed “suspi- cious irregularities” of funds on some inmate’s accounts. Police say large sums of money were being placed onto the inmates’ communica- tion system — called Securus — accounts from a source outside the jail. Police say the same inmates were bonding out of the jail almost imme- diately and leaving with the remaining balance on a jail
issued debit card.
As this activity contin- ued to occur, inmate Securus accounts were closely moni- tored, and Chief of Detectives Captain Andy Hynek was briefed, resulting in him initiating an offi- cial investigation. Police say the investi- gation uncovered a complex fraudulent scheme involving cer- tain employees of the Hardee’s fast-food restaurant in
Michigan City, along with several other subjects being involved.
Police say that in August and September, a few Hardee’s employees photographed credit/debit card num- bers of customers that purchased food at the drive-thru win- dow. The card num- bers were then fraud- ulently used by plac- ing money onto Securus accounts of
inmates with low bond amounts.
Police say the inmates were bonding out almost immedi- ately utilizing the fraudulent funds on their Securus account. The inmates were released with the remaining balance of their Securus account on a jail issued debit card, which police say is normal procedure. After leaving the jail, the former inmates were transported to area ATM’s where the remaining balance on the jail issued debit card was withdrawn. The investigation uncovered a total of $14,700 in fraudulent charges. The victims, who originally went to purchase food at the drive-thru of the Hardee’s, are working with their financial institutions to have the funds returned to them.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine