NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – A now-former ODU student pleaded guilty on Wednesday to stealing banking information and forging checks in 2023.
According to officials, in October of 2023, 26-year-old Michiah Kadafi Owens borrowed an acquaintance’s phone to set up a banking app to transfer his money to Owens’ bank account.
After reporting the incident to law enforcement, Old Dominion Police officers searched Owens’ campus residence. During the search, officers discovered multiple checks and debit cards belonging to a separate victim. Owens was enrolled at the university during the time of the arrest, but did not enroll in classes for the spring semester.
Officers were able to locate the second victim, who told them he had lost his wallet earlier in the year. Owens was able to successfully forge and deposit two checks between the months of August and December.
Owens pleaded guilty to check forgery, using a forged check, credit card theft and attempting to obtain money by false pretenses on Wednesday, April 24.
“Fraud costs honest people every day, and for victims it often creates lasting headaches as they try to recover their money and correct their credit reports,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi said. “Whether one steals with a gun, a check, or a phone, we will work to hold accountable the people who commit these crimes.”
Owens is scheduled for sentencing on May 24.
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