Man indicted in fake check scheme scammed local college

NEW YORK – A former Pennsylvania radio personality, who lives in New York City, was indicted Friday by a Manhattan grand jury on charges that he used stolen corporate bank account information belonging to the FCC, Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson and others, to create fraudulent checks work $4.2 million to be cashed by people throughout the world.

Bruce Bond, 48, of Manhattan, created thousands of fake checks in his Wall Street apartment and sent them out to people who had responded to online Craigslist ads or spam email solicitations offering various “work from home” job opportunities.

The DA’s office alleged that Bond worked with accomplices overseas. He would create fraudulent checks made out to people who contacted his cohorts. The unsuspecting victims were instructed to deposit the checks in their bank accounts, deduct 10 percent and wire the remaining 90 percent to destinations in Nigeria or Europe. The overseas accomplices were able to receive their money before the depositors received notification from their banks that the checks were fake.

Bond was charged with grand larceny, forgery, identity theft. He is being held on $250,000 cash or bond. The investigation is continuing into Bond’s accomplices.