A Florida man is facing charges related to a substantial check fraud scheme following an investigation by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Bureau.
Brandon Loud, 32, Fort Lauderdale, was arrested and booked into the Walton County Jail with a bond set at $100,000. He is accused of depositing a fraudulent check valued at over half a million dollars that originated from a Walton County utility company.
The investigation began when a utility company in Santa Rosa Beach reported that a check intended for a vendor, in the amount of $505,400, had been stolen and altered. The check, mailed initially on August 4, 2025, was never delivered to its intended recipient.
Instead, investigators allege a counterfeit version of the check, made payable to Loud, was deposited the following day into a JPMorgan Chase account belonging solely to him.
Surveillance footage from a Chase Bank branch in Minneapolis, Minnesota, reportedly showed Loud depositing the check.
Further investigation by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office revealed two additional stolen checks, totaling $200,000, that were fraudulently deposited into accounts belonging to victims of identity theft.
Loud faces charges of grand theft of more than $100,000.
“This case highlights how quickly a stolen check can turn into a six-figure fraud,” said Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson. “We encourage everyone to take proactive steps to protect their personal and financial information.”
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