LEWISBURG, W.Va. — Three people have been arrested as part of a multi-state fraud investigation that involved banks in Greenbrier and Roane counties.
Marianne Murphy and Fanny Singer, of New Jersey, and Michael Earlington, of New York, have been arrested after the Lewisburg Police Department was made aware of fraudulent activity at two People’s Bank branches within their county in mid-April.
Cpl. Jeff Vance of the Lewisburg Police Department and Chief Todd Cole of the Spencer Police Department prompted a joint investigation once they realized similar crimes were occurring in both jurisdictions.
The investigation revealed the three were using stolen identities to fraudulently withdraw large amounts of money from different institutions.
The multi-week investigation also revealed that the trio traveled across multiple states across several months to commit crimes such as forgery, uttering, identity theft, obtaining money by false pretense, engaging in fraudulent schemes, and conspiracy to commit felony offenses.
Greenbrier County Prosecuting Attorney Nicole Campbell says this was no simple investigation.
“This case required an extraordinary level of coordination and persistence. Cpl. Vance’s commitment to pursuing justice and his thorough investigative work were instrumental in moving this case forward. We’re grateful for the cooperation among all the departments involved in holding these individuals accountable,” Campbell said in a statement.
According to a release from the Lewisburg Police Department, the investigation is still active and additional suspects and charges are anticipated.