A woman has been charged with fraud after police said she stole over $10,000 from eight different First Northern Bank and Trust locations.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Detective Kevin Buck of the Palmerton Borough Police Department:

On Nov. 6, Buck received notification of a female identified as Amanda Dranginis, 33, unknown address, potentially cashing stolen and fraudulent payroll checks at several different First Northern Bank and Trust locations, which is headquartered in Palmerton.

Buck responded to First Northern Bank and Trust and spoke with an officer there who provided the information regarding Dranginis using the address of 433 Franklin Ave., which was found to be a vacant property.

Upon a review of the name it was discovered that Dranginis had cashed eight checks through eight different First Northern Bank and Trust locations, with seven of them being on Nov. 5, 2019, in an attempt to conceal the proceeds of the illegal checks.

Each of the checks were found to be fraudulent, and therefore, illegal in nature as Dranginis, who had endorsed and cashed/deposited each check, was aware they would not be honored by the drawee.

These counterfeit and fraudulent checks caused First Northern Bank and Trust to suffer a monetary loss of $10,643, which was illegally obtained by Dranginis with the checks being cashed.

Dranginis faces charges on eight counts each of fraud, access device fraud, and bad checks; two counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; and one count each of fraud, access device fraud, theft by unlawful taking or disposition and receiving stolen property.

She is currently incarcerated in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $25,000 straight bail, and is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Jan. 15 before District Judge William Kissner of Palmerton.