Based on policy, the bank refused to release any funds to the woman that day because the transaction involved a new account, a check for a substantial sum of money, and a check written from a foreign bank, one in Canada. In order to receive the funds, Cascade sent the check to the source bank in Canada, which is standard procedure.

Receiving money from foreign banks can take up to three weeks, which bank personnel explained to the woman.

The woman left the bank and called back several times to check on the status of the funds.

In the meantime, the Canadian bank called Cascade Bank to tell them that the check was originally written to another business for $400. It was not made out to the woman who tried to deposit it, nor was it for the large sum of money. The check had been washed.

Detective Ka was brought into the investigation, and he, too, found the check to be a false one.

During one of the woman’s calls to Cascade Bank, she stated that the Canadian bank had called her saying that they had cashed the check. Cascade personnel knew that this was not true. They told the woman that they hadn’t received the money yet; it usually took three weeks.

Detective Ka asked that the bank call 911 when the woman returned to the bank. She did so on March 17 and was arrested.

She told police that she obtained the check from someone she met online.

Detective Ka continues to gather information to substantiate the woman’s story. If prosecuted, the woman could face charges of possession of stolen property, forgery and attempted robbery.