There’s an investigation going on into checks mailed into the Monroe County Clerk’s office intended for mortgage discharges, but those checks were stolen, altered or cashed.
County Clerk Jamie Romeo said on Monday that the checks were mailed to the office in May. The office was made aware of the problem by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in June.
The total proceeds from those checks is roughly $32,000.
Romeo said the checks, which would have usually been for $50 or $60, were altered before they were cashed.
“We have seen no further instances of this since we were first made aware of it,” said Romeo. “We’ve taken a number of steps internally, but we’re going to allow this criminal investigation to continue and follow it, see where it leads and then if there are additional steps, we are completely prepared to make those additional steps if needed.”
Romeo said the clerk’s office has contacted all of the affected residents and financial institutions and there will be no late fees or penalties for the individuals and businesses involved.
Officials said that while some financial institutions have switched over to financial records and payments, some local institutions still mail in documents and checks.
Sheriff’s department Investigator Eric Mezzoprete said that people should contact the Sheriff’s office if they sent a check to the County Clerk’s office, and learned that it never arrived.
