Boscawen police arrested an individual earlier this month accused of participating in a multi-state bank fraud scheme that targeted locations across New Hampshire.
Jay Johnson, 50, of North Carolina, was arrested on Nov. 4 after attempting to use a forged passport to cash a check at the Boscawen branch of Franklin Savings Bank.
In interviews with police, Johnson admitted to being part of a “larger operation” in which he was bused from out of state and dropped off at various banks with fake identification documents. Johnson said he is allowed to retain 10% of any money he successfully withdraws, according to court documents.
Boscawen Police Chief Jason Killary said his department has reached out the FBI and New Hampshire State Police for assistance in probing the broader operation.
In addition to Boscawen, Johnson has been charged with identity fraud in Salem and Merrimack. Court documents indicate that he also successfully withdrew money in Bristol and Tilton.
All of the attempted withdrawals occurred at Franklin Savings Bank branches except for the bank in Salem, which was a branch of Pentucket Bank, according to court documents.
Jenn Prince, an assistant vice president and the marketing and community engagement officer at Franklin Savings Bank, declined to answer questions about how much money had been successfully withdrawn or whether customers had been reimbursed.
“We’re always trying to educate our customers about any fraudulent scams that are happening right now and make sure they stay diligent and protect themselves,” Prince said.
Leanne Eastman, the community and public relations director for Pentucket Bank’s parent company, declined to comment.
The multi-jurisdiction investigation began in Salem on Oct. 2, when an individual attempted to obtain information on the balances of an account. The bank teller compared the passport he provided with the information on file and found that they did not match. After being confronted with the discrepancy, the individual abruptly departed, according to court documents, leaving the passport behind.
Eight days later, the Merrimack Police Department received a report of a fraudulent transaction from a Franklin Savings Bank customer, who said that $700 had been withdrawn from his account. The police department posted security footage of the individual who made the withdrawal in a law enforcement newsletter.
On Nov. 4, two tellers at the bank’s Boscawen branch recognized the individual from a briefing they had received and called police. He was arrested with multiple passports.
The U.S. State Department participated in the investigation due to the presence of the forged passports, Killary said.
Johnson is currently being held at the Merrimack County Jail.