A northwest Indiana woman has been charged with more than 40 felonies in connection with a fraud and forgery scheme involving clients of a Merrillville law firm, Indiana State Police said.
Heather Ann Textor, 41, of Lowell, was charged with 42 felonies and three misdemeanors following a three-year investigation. The charges are listed below:
- Fraud against a financial institution – Level 5 Felony- Five counts
- Forgery – Level 6 Felony – 13 counts
- Counterfeiting – Level 6 Felony – Two counts
- Fraud (Between $750 and $50,000) – Level 6 Felony – Five counts
- Fraud (Enhancing circumstances)- Level 6 Felony – Seven counts
- Theft (Value $750 to $50,000)- Level 6 Felony- Seven counts
- Fraud – Level 6 Felony – Three counts
Authorities said an investigation began after suspicious documents were submitted to the Indiana State Police Expungement Unit.
During the…
MANAGEMENT & CULTURE (THE “TONE AT THE TOP”)
Fraud thrives in “sloppy” environments where leadership ignores the rules.
- The Fraud Triangle: For fraud to occur, three elements must be present: Pressure (the need for money), Rationalization (thinking “I deserve this”), and Opportunity (weak controls). You can only control the Opportunity.
- Whistleblower Hotline: Provide an anonymous way for staff to report “odd behavior.” Most internal frauds are caught via tips, not audits.
- Background Checks: Conduct credit and criminal record checks for all employees in financial or data-sensitive roles.
- Annual Ethics Training: Make sure every staff member knows that the company has a Zero Tolerance policy toward “borrowing” from petty cash or fudging overtime.