Samantha Johnson Allegedly Engaged in Extensive Check Fraud Scheme

A Green Bay resident, 35-year-old Samantha Johnson, is confronting a legal onslaught with 13 charges across three separate criminal cases, all linked to alleged forgery and check fraud.

Johnson is currently grappling with 11 felony charges of Uttering a Forgery, one count of felony Fraud Against Financial Institution (Between $501 and $10,000), and an additional charge of misdemeanor Fraud Against Financial Institution (Under $500). If found guilty on all counts, she could potentially face a maximum sentence of 72 years in prison.

The charges stem from a series of incidents outlined in the criminal complaint. In August 2022, Johnson reportedly wrote four checks totaling $3,350 within a 2-day span. Opening an account at a downtown Green Bay credit union on Aug. 4, 2022, she cashed one check that day and three more on Aug. 5. However, all four checks were later deemed “Altered/Fictitious” by a Green Bay bank, and the companies listed on the checks denied issuing them.

An additional five charges of Uttering a Forgery were filed against Johnson for writing five more checks in the same week, on August 6th and 8th, amounting to $4,700. Similar to the previous set, these checks were flagged as “Altered/Fictitious” by the bank and disavowed by the purported issuing companies.

The criminal complaint details two more charges of Uttering a Forgery, along with felony and misdemeanor charges of Fraud Against Financial Institution, arising from a mail theft report in May 2023. A business owner in Ashwaubenon reported that three mailed-out checks were cashed by unauthorized individuals, with alterations to the date, name, and amount. One of these checks was cashed by Samantha Johnson, who identified herself as an employee of the business, a claim vehemently denied by the owner.

Police, investigating Johnson’s public records, discovered a pattern of counterfeit checks, bank fraud, and mail theft implicating her as a suspect. Using bank surveillance photos, they identified Johnson’s red Ford Escape with Menominee tribal plates, ultimately leading to her location.

Samantha Johnson made her initial court appearance on Jan. 4, 2024, for all three cases. As the legal proceedings unfold, the community awaits further developments in this complex case of financial deceit and criminal activity.