An East Orange man was charged with fraud, after police said he deposited a stolen check for $417,452 into a recently opened account and tried to withdraw cash.
Everett Lewis, 29, is charged with fraud, forgery, receiving stolen property and money laundering, Bloomfield Police Director Samuel DeMaio said Thursday.
Lewis had recently opened a business account at the Provident Bank branch on Bloomfield Avenue, and deposited the stolen check using a forged signature, DeMaio said.
An employee of the bank contacted police on Tuesday, when Lewis returned and was waiting to withdraw cash from the account, DeMaio said. Police went to the bank and arrested Lewis there.
Lewis was also charged with drug possession after officers found he was carrying marijuana, DeMaio said.
The director praised bank employees for quickly calling police after becoming suspicious.
A police spokesman declined to say where Lewis got the check.