Two Homeless Chicago Men Charged in Elaborate Ruse to Cash Forged Checks

Two homeless Chicago men are facing charges after they were allegedly brought to a Greendale bank and dressed like construction workers in an elaborate scheme to pass forged checks.

Ryan. C. Lewis, 41, and Scott A. Rowland, 50, were charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court Tuesday with one count of uttering a forgery. If convicted, they each face up to six years in prison and $10,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

On Friday afternoon, Lewis and Rowland went into dressed like construction workers and each tried to cash payroll checks made out from UPI Manufacturing in Eagle. Rowland’s check was worth $3,029 and Lewis’s check was valued at $2,749.

While checking the signatures on the checks, tellers at the bank noticed they didn’t match those on file and something about the checks seemed a little off. They contacted the company and faxed over the checks, which were then confirmed as forgeries.

Greendale police officers were then called to the bank and arrested the men.

Lewis said he’s homeless and was staying at a Chicago homeless shelter when two men named Mike and Smokey approached him and asked if he wanted to make some money by cashing the forged checks. In exchange for passing the checks Lewis and Rowland would receive 10 percent of the value they each obtained.

Lewis said the men then drove him and Rowland up to Greendale and gave them fluorescent vests, safety goggles and hardhats so they looked like construction workers when they entered the bank. He said they did the same thing at a bank in the Rockford area the day before and were successful.

Lewis said he knew it was wrong but decided to take part in the scheme because he's desparate for money. 

Rowland first denied knowing the check was fake, saying he got the money for driving a forklift for three hours at a business. When confronted about it being unlikely he was paid $3,000 to do three hours of work, he then admitted to also being homeless and being approached by the two men so he could make money.

Both men are currently being held in Milwaukee County Jail on $250 bond.