Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Groundwater district update: Bank thief wired money to Dallas, Wisconsin
The RoundUp has learned that David Baker is the member of the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District Board of Directors who someone impersonated in a bank fraud theft of $17,500 of District funds in early November. A source familiar with the investigation told us the money was wired to banks in Dallas and Wisconsin.
The bank theft was announced at the District's board meeting Thursday of last week.
District General Manager Rick Broun said Wells Fargo Bank of Dripping Springs reimbursed the District the full amount and the bank is conducting it's own investigation of the theft. As of today, he said the Sheriff's department had not reported any suspects.
The impersonator did not access the groundwater district's bank account electronically with a log in name and password. Someone apparently contacted the bank by phone, identified himself as David Baker and used Baker's Social Security number to confirm his identify.
We have a call in to Mr. Baker to ask him who in the world he thinks might have impersonated him, using his SS number, to rob the groundwater district's bank account of $17,500.
In other matters, District board president Jimmy Skipton told the RoundUp today he has no intention of posting his bio on the groundwater district's website as he was pointedly requested to do by a citizen at the board's Thursday meeting (scroll down to the story and video). Too much risk these days of identity theft, he said.
Skipton is the only board member of the 5-member board of directors who does not have a bio posted on the website. His cell number and e-mail address are posted though. Folks can give him a call and talk about groundwater issues that are before the board any time, he said. He suggested we ask the other board members why they don't have their cell phone numbers listed.
Skipton said he hopes to add more information on future meeting agendas, including a brief backgrounder on individual agenda items. The bare bones agenda now provided to the public at the board's monthly meetings was another issue that came under criticism by citizens.
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7 comments:
This is a major bank fault. How could the employee be so stupid?
I bet the person impersonating David Baker was - David Baker.
Just kidding, of course.
But we all know how those liberals want to steal our tax money for their own commie ideals. This is kind of an ironic irony to the story.
Hmmm! $17,000. I bet someone wanted that money to hire that Slim Rich and Brenda Free to do some liberal fundraiser for the Save the Water nuts.
Pauly Shore kinda looks like David Baker. I bet the young Wells Fargo teller was so enamoured by the talentless washed up celebrity, she felt sorry for him and gave him the Board's money. Now he can live until he gets a commercial or some Tea Party candidacy.
As for Skipton not posting his bio, I think he doesn't want people to know he used to be a wrestler for the WWF.
The people on that Board are some baggage loaded folks.
The bank account was the bank account belonging to HTGCD - not to David Baker personally. Accordingly, Baker only had signing authority on the account. Thus someone needed more than just Baker's id - they had to know the bank account and other banking information for starters.
Law enforcement would be wise to investigate other organizations that Baker is affiliated with to determine if HTGCD was the only entity that experienced such a theft. Again, knowing a social security number or other "id" information is insufficient since the account did not belong to Baker personally (i.e., wasn't tied to his Social Security number) - he was just a signatory to the account.
Perhaps Round Up will keep us informed or make similar inquiries of other organizations.
Darn good place to start would be the holder of the accounts into which the money was transfered; unless it was just bounced out of them. There is always a trail, just follow the money.
Wells Fargo did something similar to my business years ago; in that case it had to be an inside job.
It looks like the local law enforcement in Drippin’ can’t figure out if it was theft or attempted theft according to the article in the View. I guess it doesn’t really matter if you don’t catch somebody. Try calling it what it is, Bank Robbery and call the FBI, It’s a Federal Crime! What a bunch of Barney Fifes. Start by investigating the Teller and then Baker and then Baker’s friends and then his enemies.
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