ST. PETER — A Florida man has been charged with aiding and abetting check forgery with intent to defraud following an investigation into a fraudulent check-cashing incident in St. Peter.
Gregory Lee Caldwell, 32, of Fort Lauderdale, is accused of being involved in a multi-person fraud scheme that used stolen checks and identification documents.
A woman identified as Jorjette Jasmine Burch, 25, attempted to cash a forged check on June 12, 2024, for $3,550 at a bank in St. Peter using a stolen ID, according to the criminal complaint filed in Nicollet County District Court. The check and ID had been stolen from two separate vehicles in Waverly and Belle Plaine, respectively.
Burch was later arrested in Belle Plaine after attempting a similar transaction, leading to the identification of the vehicle she used — a silver Volkswagen SUV rented by Caldwell from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Burch later told investigators she had been recruited into a larger fraud operation by several men and that she did not keep the money obtained from the forged checks. She alleged that the men involved provided drugs and instructions and would follow her during the incidents.
Law enforcement linked Caldwell to the case through surveillance footage, vehicle rental records and information obtained via subpoenas to Google. Digital evidence included photographs of Caldwell handling cash, wearing gloves and being present at locations tied to the investigation, including the Mall of America and the Mankato area.
Authorities also recovered a rental agreement matching the vehicle used in the St. Peter incident and digital folders containing Caldwell’s personal information and billing data associated with the email used for the rental.
Burch’s charges were continued for dismissal on June 24, 2024, and Caldwell is now facing one felony charge of aiding and abetting check forgery.