Michigan Man Found Guilty Of Using Rubber Checks To Make Court-Mandated Payments In Connection With Earlier Deed Theft Conviction

In Detroit, Michigan, the Detroit Free Press reports:

• A Grosse Pointe Woods man who used bad checks to pay $26,000 in property taxes as part of a sentencing agreement in a real estate fraud case was found guilty Tuesday in Wayne County Circuit Court of check fraud. A jury found John Matouk guilty of four counts of writing checks with nonsufficient funds over $500, a 2-year felony, and three counts of check, no account, a 2-year felony. A count of tampering with evidence was dismissed at preliminary examination.

• Matouk pleaded guilty in October to defrauding an elderly couple in a real estate scheme [see Michigan Man Cops Plea In Alleged Home Theft From Elderly Couple]. Before his sentencing, he was required to pay $26,000 in real estate taxes and the outstanding balance on a $650,000 loan. At his sentencing in November, he told Wayne County Circuit Judge Gregory Bill that he paid the taxes. It was discovered later after the checks bounced that he had used bad checks.

For the story, see Man guilty of check fraud in $26,000 debt.