Law firm accountant arrested over P386K check fraud

A 32-year-old accounting employee of a Makati City law firm was arrested Tuesday, 3 November, for allegedly stealing blank checks and forging signatures in an attempt to encash P386,674.68.

The suspect, identified only as alias Cha-cha, was arrested around 1:30 p.m. at a law office along Paseo de Roxas in Barangay Urdaneta following allegations of qualified theft and falsification of documents.

Initial police investigations showed that the suspect allegedly took several blank checks belonging to a business entity and forged the signatures of two authorized signatories to facilitate their encashment.

The alleged irregularities were discovered after the law office detected unauthorized transactions.

During an internal administrative inquiry, the suspect reportedly admitted in a written explanation that she had taken the checks and falsified signatures on several occasions.

A subsequent search of her workplace, conducted with her consent, yielded a torn blank check and a printed check request form bearing allegedly forged electronic signatures.

The suspect also reportedly admitted downloading and saving the document on her desktop computer.

Following the discovery, an associate lawyer of the firm placed the suspect under citizen's arrest while awaiting police assistance.

Personnel from the Investigation and Detective Management Section and Ayala Police Substation 5 of the Makati City Police Station responded and took the suspect into custody.

Police are preparing complaints for qualified theft and falsification of documents for inquest proceedings, pending completion of the necessary supporting documents.