A Greenwich Avenue woman was charged in a check cashing scheme that could leave her responsible for paying back the amount of money she allegedly stole to two institutions if found guilty, police said Wednesday.
According to Sgt. Peter diSpagna, a landscaping company reported to police that a total of $9,142.46 in checks had gone missing but had since been cashed by an unknown party on July 14. DiSpagna said the landscaping company uncovered the scheme when it began calling customers to settle up accounts and discovered, according to the customers, that the checks had been sent and cashed already.
An investigation led police to a check cashing store where a man who owns a Stamford bodega had been cashing the checks. Police said the man was cooperative and said a woman had endorsed the checks and used them in his store.
The bodega owner identified that woman as Lisa Ragsdale, 45, and diSpagna said authorities discovered she lived in the same complex as where the home office for the landscaping company existed.
According to diSpagna, Ragsdale somehow gained access to the company's mailbox and removed the checks, then proceeded to use them at the bodega for $9,000 worth of goods. This meant $9,000 worth of goods were taken from the bodega without payment, and $9,000 worth of funds were stolen from the landscaping company, pinning the suspect with double the amount spent at the store.
DiSpagna said Ragsdale faces two counts of third-degree larceny and five counts of third-degree forgery.
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