North Olmsted woman facing a variety of charges.

Newsradio WTAM 1100

http://www.wtam.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=122520&article=8077292

(Cleveland) - A Cuyahoga County grand jury has been indicted a North Olmsted woman in a Nigerian check scam.

Sandra Vandevelde has been indicted on charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, receiving stolen property, money laundering, forgery, and grand theft.

According to investigators, Vandevelde, 51, of North Olmsted, produced 26 counterfeit checks and attempted to mail them to potential victims around the nation as part of a scheme commonly known as Nigerian Check Scam.

Police say, the defendant sent two counterfeit checks totaling $6,900 to a female in Baytown, Texas who responded to an ad posted on Craig's List.

The ad solicited people to assist a business while the owner/operator was out of town by depositing checks and returning the money, minus a commission, to specified individuals, aka Vandevelde.

Detectives claim Vandevelde received the money and sent it, minus a commission, to Nigeria.

They contend, during a three month period in 2009, there were 142 transactions at CheckSmart totaling $53,000.

North Olmsted Police conducted the investigation and executed a search warrant in October 2009, at her residence.

Arraignment for Vandevelde is scheduled for January 31, 2011.