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A forged check was altered to change the "To the Order of" line on a cyber charter school payment this summer.
Utilizing ATM cameras, a tattoo, and even Instagram, local police were able to track down a woman who attempted to defraud the Wissahickon School District (WSD). Lower Gwynedd Township Police said that the New Jersey woman attempted to steal funds from WSD via a forgery incident, which occurred over the course of the Summer of 2024. According to reports, she is now being charged with five felony counts in Montgomery County Courts.
A criminal complaint issued in September stated that the Lower Gwynedd police said they were called to the WSD administration building on June 27 around 3 p.m. when Lieu Kim, who works in accounts payable for the district, reported a potential fraud incident. Kim told police, reports stated, that a monthly check is issued from WSD to the “Insight Pa. Cyber Charter School” for services. A check mailed via the United States Postal Service, however, was flagged on June 27 by Citizens Bank’s “Positive Pay” fraud prevention system, police said.
The check, made out for $8,451.97, was originally made out to the online school, and was issued by Kim, said reports. However, the check showed an altered “To the Order of” line, now ordering it to be paid to Tanequa Reddick. Police were able to find the suspect, Tanequa Nichole Reddick, 29, of the unit block of Brookshire Road, in Sicklerville, N.J., they said via a lengthy investigation that followed. A digital photo of the check revealed the altered payee line, said police. Kim said that the Insight school told her they do not know of any one with that name, reports said.
According to police, the check was deposited into a Citizens Bank account, as confirmed by the bank, via an ATM in Camden, N.J. into an account with the same name of “Tanequa Reddick” on June 26. Police obtained Reddick’s bank account information, which included an address, phone, date of birth, and email, reports stated. They also requested video from the ATM cameras from the Citizens Bank located at 330 Cooper St., Camden.
Video from the bank’s surveillance cameras showed a black female depositing the check, and police said they compared that image to one obtained by the New Jersey State Police of Reddick’s driver’s license, in addition to prior mugshots, and the images matched that of Reddick, making Reddick the one who deposited the check via ATM.
Police continued to investigate the matter, reports stated, and bank accounts reflected the same deposit amount and date matching the funds sent to Reddick’s personal bank account. On June 27, police said, the same account had three, $1,000 withdrawals and a $450 withdrawal, all by an unknown male via an ATM. On June 28, the account was connected to Cash App, and a debit purchase of $5,000 was made to “Cash App TANEQ,” said reports. An investigation of Cash App accounts revealed that Reddick’s phone number was attached to a single account, listed as “$tanequa2525” with a profile image of Reddick on it.
Reddick, police said, has a visible tattoo of a small footprint in the center of her chest with the letter “K,” a distinctive mark which helped them to connect Reddick to the crimes. Police even searched Instagram for Reddick, and found a profile called “tanequa_nichole” which showed the same female and visible tattoos, said reports.
Reddick is charged with five felony counts, including dealing in process unlimited acts/intent to promote, forgery via altered writing, theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, and receiving stolen property. Reddick was released after posting a bond signature bail on Sept. 23 following her preliminary arraignment. She is due in court on Oct. 10 for a preliminary hearing at 11:30 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Suzan Leonard.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
