A Chillicothe woman has been arrested for forgery after attempting to cash a fraudulent check at a local Check Smart branch. Eleanor Mayo, who claimed to be the Power of Attorney for the deceased man who was in a nursing home, was apprehended following an investigation into suspicious check transactions.
According to Chillicothe police reports, Check Smart employee flagged Mayo’s attempt to cash a check as fraudulent. The employee had previously been in contact with a Detective about Mayo’s activities. The detective was investigating Mayo for cashing checks belonging to the man, who had been deceased for some time.
Upon arrival at Check Smart, officers discovered a check from Prudential in the amount of $1,682.02 made out to the deceased man. The check, dated July 1, 2024, was endorsed by both the man and Mayo. Police noted similarities in the signatures, particularly in the letters “e” and “o.”
Mayo told officers she had last spoken to the victim about two weeks ago and claimed she had permission to cash his checks because he was in a nursing home. However, when questioned further, Mayo’s story unraveled as she was informed that the victium had passed away well before the supposed conversation.
Mayo was arrested and charged with forgery. She was transported to the Ross County Jail, where she was booked. Evidence, including the endorsed check, the bank deposit envelope, and the mans ID, was secured and filed at the Law Enforcement Complex.
The case remains under investigation as police continue to review the circumstances surrounding the fraudulent check.
