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Check fraud investigated
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NEW GLARUS - No arrests have been made in a check cashing scheme that involved more than 30 forged payroll checks from Jack Links in New Glarus.

The New Glarus Police Department received a report around 3:30 Friday that a number of payroll checks had been forged and cashed in New Glarus, Monroe and Darlington.

Police Chief Steve Allbaugh said the checks were purchased from a supply company and the Jack Links logo and other information about the company were then printed on the checks with a computer.

Allbaugh said the people cashing the checks presented false identification to the banks where the checks were cashed.

The checks were cashed at Anchor Bank in New Glarus and Monroe and at a private business in Darlington.

Allbaugh said 25 names were used to cash the checks. However, Albaugh said he couldn't be certain that the names on the checks were the actual names of the people who cashed them.

The names on the checks provided residences in Madison and Beloit on their identification. Allbaugh said his department will call the Madison and Beloit police departments to find out if the names match residents in those cities.

Allbaugh said about $40,000 was obtained through the false checks. He said the case could be turned over to the Green County District Attorney's office or it could be turned over to the FBI.

A similar check fraud ring took place in Lafayette County last year which resulted in the arrests of 11 people.

Allbaugh said the case in New Glarus is similar to what happened in Lafayette County, but so far there are no connections.

In the Lafayette County case, 10 people, 9 from Illinois and one from Mexico, were found guilty of cashing more than $20,000 in forged payroll checks drawn from Mexican Cheese Producers, which has plants in Monroe and Darlington. They allegedly cashed the checks at Citizens Bank, the First Banking Center and Amcore Bank in Darlington.

The scheme was part of a multi-state organized crime effort.

The 10 people found guilty are serving sentences ranging from eight to 21 months in prison.