Chapter 10 - Derek’s financial story
The pool evidence opened a second investigation.
Not because every broken laptop is fraud.
Because Laura reported identity theft.
The bank letters mattered.
Investigators found two credit accounts opened in Laura’s name during the previous nine months.
One personal line.
One retail credit account.
Total outstanding balance:
About $31,700.
Laura denied opening either.
Electronic applications used:
Her Social Security number.
Her birth date.
Her home address.
An email address almost identical to hers.
One character different.
The recovery phone number belonged to a prepaid phone.
One of the phones found in the pool.
Digital forensics recovered enough.
Not everything.
One device had messages between Derek and a lender representative.
He posed as Laura in some exchanges.
Why?
His business needed cash.
He had also used Laura’s checking account for several business expenses he claimed she authorized.
Some she had.
Some disputed.
Financial review eventually identified about $14,600 in clearly unauthorized transfers beyond the credit balances.
The missing earrings?
Pawned.
$3,200 received.
They were worth more.
Recovered before resale because the pawn shop kept required records.
No million-dollar theft.
No secret offshore account.
A failing contractor borrowing from the person closest to him until borrowing became deception.
Then destroying evidence when she noticed.
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Emily happened to see.
That was when the financial crime became child endangerment.
