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Florida man tries to cash fake check from county commission he got from men in a parking lot: HCSO

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Published  March 18, 2025 11:01am EDT
Hernando County
FOX 13 News

The Brief

    • A Pasco County man is accused of trying to cash a fake check from the Dixie County Board of County Commissioners.
    • Deputies said Daniel Ryan Lawless claimed he got the check from two men he met in a Pasco County parking lot.
    • Lawless was arrested and charged with uttering forged instrument and criminal use of personal identification.

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - A transient from Pasco County is accused of trying to cash a fraudulent check from the Dixie County Board of Commissioners.

The backstory:

Deputies in Hernando County say Daniel Ryan Lawless went to Capital City Bank, located at 14001 Cortez Boulevard in Brooksville, around 10 a.m. on March 13, 2025, and tried to cash a check for $1,800 that was payable to himself from the Board of County Commissioners Dixie County.

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According to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, authorities contacted the financial director of the Board of County Commissioners Dixie County, who said the check was not authorized and was deemed fraudulent.

Dig deeper:

Deputies said Lawless told them that he met with two men in Pasco County on March 12, 2025, and they asked him if he would like to make money.

Daniel Ryan Lawless mugshot courtesy of the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.

Daniel Ryan Lawless mugshot courtesy of the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. 

Lawless said he gave the men his personal information and met with them the next day. That’s when he said the men gave him a check with his information and told him to tell the bank teller that he was a janitor.

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According to deputies, Lawless said he knew he did not work for the organization and shouldn’t have tried to cash the check.

Lawless was arrested and charged with uttering forged instrument and criminal use of personal identification.

What you can do:

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Hernando County Crime Stoppers at 1-866-990-8477 or **TIPS from a cell phone.

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The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. 

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