Burlington County Prosecutor Robert D. Bernardi announced today that a Moorestown man has been indicted for creating a counterfeit bank check in the amount of $484,000 and presenting it to a title insurance company as legitimate while closing on a house in Moorestown that he planned to purchase.
Brett A. Cooper, 35, of 1609 Larchmont Place in Mount Laurel, was indicted on one count of theft by deception (second degree), one count of elements of computer theft (second degree), two counts of forgery (third degree) and one count of uttering a forged instrument (third degree).
The investigation revealed that Cooper had come to an agreement on a purchase price for a home in Moorestown. At the closing, he produced a check for $484,000 and represented it to be from his bank. The check was discovered to be fraudulent when the title insurance company was notified by its bank that Cooper’s account contained insufficient funds to cover the check. The account on which the counterfeit check was purported to have been drawn upon contained no money at the time the check was presented.
The indictment was returned June 21. An arraignment will be scheduled soon in Superior Court.
Detectives from the Moorestown Township Police Department and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit conducted the investigation.
Anyone who has information concerning the defendant that may be helpful to law enforcement should call the Prosecutor’s Office at (609) 265–5035 and ask to speak to a detective in the Financial Crimes Unit.
