Q: Hi I recently tried to help a gentleman deposit a unendorsed/unlabeled money order in to my account.
Hi, I was trying to be a good person and tried to deposit a money order for a complete stranger out of pure kindness of heart. The money order tho to was actually completely blank in name and not endorsed. We talked to the bank manager. She suspected fraud on his part not mine. They pulled the money order from the atm for the police to take as evidence and had me file a police report.(the gentleman at this point had taken my phone number to contact me to see when the funds would be available and left the scene before police arrived ) they are investigating to see if the money order was real or not. Can I possibly face any criminal charges accidentally by just trying to be a good person.
A:
Yes. You may be criminally charged as a bank and wire fraud accomplice. Here is how.
1. "I tried to deposit a money order for a complete stranger out of pure kindness of heart. "
In legal terms, you may be charged as a accomplice with the main principal and then claim that he was "total stranger."
2. "The money order tho to was actually completely blank in name and not endorsed."
That is a definite suspect bank document already.
3. "We talked to the bank manager. She suspected fraud on his part not mine. "
Pay attention to the "us" part. Still, from the legal perspective both are acting on that criminal enterprise.
4. They pulled the money order from the atm for the police to take as evidence and had me file a police report.(the gentleman at this point had taken my phone number to contact me to see when the funds would be available and left the scene before police arrived )."
The 'gentleman" used you as a tool for his criminal scheme with your voluntary participation.
5. "they are investigating to see if the money order was real or not. Can I possibly face any criminal charges accidentally by just trying to be a good person."
Definitely. Before you are criminally charged with either state or federal bank fraud, document fraud, wire fraud etc. have a criminal defense attorney ready.
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