NORTHAMPTON — A Maryland man has admitted that he was involved in an internet-based check scam in which he defrauded a local woman of $2,200.
Olatunde Dipeolu, 33, of Gwynn Oak, admitted in Hampshire Superior Court Thursday there were sufficient facts to find him guilty of receiving stolen property over $250.
Dipeolu was indicted on the charge by a grand jury in November 2016. As part of his plea, Dipeolu paid $2,200. The charge will be continued without a finding for nine months. If he stays out of trouble with the law during that time, the charge is to be dismissed.
Outlining the details in court, First Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Steven Gagne said a local woman “fell victim” to an online scam in February and March 2016.
The woman was seeking online employment and submitted an application to what she thought was a legitimate data-entry job, Gagne said.
As part of the process, the woman was asked to deposit a $2,200 check sent to her into her own account and then withdraw the cash and deposit it into another account, Gagne said.
The woman deposited the check on March 1, 2016. She then took the cash to a Bank of America branch and deposited it into the account of Good Budget LLC.
In a day or two, Gagne said, the woman’s bank learned the check was fraudulent. When she asked Bank of America to stop the deposit transaction, there was nothing the bank could do, Gagne said.
On March 4, Dipeolu withdrew the funds from the Good Budget LLC account. The account was emptied and closed a short time after, Gagne said.
Dipeolu was expected to return to Maryland after the court proceedings.
Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com.