The Legal 411: Villa Rica Scam Suspect Nabbed - Stolen mailed used to open up fake bank accounts #legal411

Villa Rica Scam Suspect Nabbed in Canada
Updated: Thursday, 09 Apr 2009, 10:34 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 09 Apr 2009, 10:16 PM EDT

George
Franco
Edited By: Leigha Baugham | myfoxatlanta.com

CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. (MyFOX ATLANTA) - Investigators said a Villa Rica man who tried to pull off an elaborate scheme almost got away with it. The man was back in Georgia Thursday after being arrested at the Canadian border.

Authorities allege that 32-year-old Christopher Fatimiro stole more than $100,000 from the Carroll County Water Authority through a number of fake accounts he opened in other people's names.

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office said the majority of the money was stolen from the Carroll County Water Authority. Investigators said the scheme started when Fatimiro received a $20 refund check from the water agency.

"Some of those were bank accounts, business checking accounts and some of those were credit card accounts," said Carroll County Chief Deputy Brad Robinson.

Chief Deputy Robinson said Fatimiro gained access to the water authority's checking account with information from a refund check he got after shutting his water off at his Villa Rica home.

"Less than one month before the water authority caught that money was coming out fraudulently from their account and he was able to access $96, 000," said Robinson.

Robinson said Fatimiro was captured on surveillance at a couple of banks in Cobb County making withdrawals from some of the fake bank accounts he had opened.

The sheriff's office said it appeared that Fatimiro may have stolen some mail from some of the residents at an Atlanta apartment complex where they say his girlfriend lived. Investigators said he used that stolen mail to open up some of the fake accounts.

"I checked my credit score and apparently I had lots of credit cards opened in my name," said resident Allie O'Brien.

Obrien said she believed her identity was stolen when her mail was stolen. Investigators said Fatimiro faces 17 charges of identity fraud and other charges for stealing from the Carroll County Water Authority. The water authority director says tougher security measures were put in place after the thefts.

"Well, first and foremost no customers' information was compromised, no information was accessed. We just stepped up a few internal controls and processes," said Matt Windom of the Carroll County Water Authority.

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office said the postal inspector was working with them on more charges because of the stolen mail and how Fatimiro allegedly sent off for credit cards using the mail.