CALLENSBURG BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) — A local man is facing a criminal charge after he allegedly forged his ex-wife’s signature on an insurance claim check in an attempt to receive cash.
Court documents indicate the Clarion-based State Police filed the following criminal charge against 44-year-old Christopher Brian Hindman, of Callensburg:
– Forgery — Unauthorized Act In Writing, Misdemeanor 1
According to a criminal complaint, on March 6, a known woman arrived at the Clarion-based State Police barracks to report an incident involving her ex-husband, Christopher Brian Hindman.
The woman reported that she had received a call from her insurance company inquiring if she was aware of an insurance claim that was filed recently by her ex-husband for wind damage to their house. She related that she was unaware of the claim and was told that Hindman had received an insurance claim check and had recently tried to cash it at a bank in Cranberry Township.
The complaint notes the bank contacted the insurance company, and it is the insurance company’s policy to call all of the parties who signed the check to verify the legitimacy of it. When the company called the woman to verify that she had also signed the check, she told them that she had not and believed her ex-husband had forged her name in an attempted to receive the value of the check, $2,124.09. She then obtained a copy of the check and took it to the state police, where she showed the signature and advised it was not her signature and she never signed that check or authorized anyone to sign for her.
According to the complaint, Trooper McGinnis spoke with Hindman at the state police barracks later that day, and Hindman allegedly admitted to signing his ex-wife’s name on the back of the insurance claim check in an attempt to cash it.
Based on the investigation, charges were filed through Magisterial District Judge Jeffrey C. Miller’s office on Wednesday, March 20.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 3, with Judge Miller presiding.
