Brownsville couple charged with theft, forgery
A Brownsville couple are lodged in the Westmoreland County Prison after being charged with forgery and theft of nearly $60,000 from a Greensburg lawyer.
Jennifer Teeter, 39, was charged with forgery, identity theft, receiving stolen property and related charges after she allegedly wrote unauthorized checks out to herself from her former employer, attorney James Geibig, beginning in February 2014 and this month.
The checks, with Geibig’s forged signature, totaled almost $35,000. Additionally, Teeter allegedly failed to deposit about $22,800 in cash payments made to Geibig by clients, Greensburg police alleged.
The former secretary also allegedly used a business account with the supplies company Quill to buy $1,500 in personal items, police alleged.
Geibig and his wife, attorney Jennifer Casini, were alerted to the alleged theft after checking the business’s online bank records and noticing unauthorized cashed checks on Jan. 15.
When questioned by Geibig and Casini, Teeter said that her husband William Teeter, 41, was also involved, police said.
William Teeter allegedly took his wife to the bank to cash the checks and was aware that they were being forged, police contended.
He also allegedly admitted to going with his wife to the law office on Saturdays on several occasions to obtain checks and cash them at the bank for approximately $100 to $200 each time, according to the criminal complaint.
He faces several charges, including conspiracy, theft, receiving stolen property and forgery.
Jennifer Teeter reportedly told Greensburg police that she was using the money for “everyday life expenses,” but that she knew she was not authorized to do so, according to the criminal complaint.
The estimated total that was allegedly stolen is $59,096.91, though that may increase as the investigation continues, according to the affidavit.
The Teeters were arraigned Monday in Westmoreland County before Magisterial District Judge James Albert with both bonds set at $200,000.
The preliminary hearings are scheduled for Feb. 9.