A serious case of identity theft and fraud has come to light involving a man named Mark Allen Baker, who is 65 years old and lives in Duluth. He is accused of stealing a woman’s identity and using it to falsify documents, aiming to illegally obtain over $8,000 in COVID-19 relief funds specifically designed to help renters during the pandemic.
The Scheme Uncovered
The charges against Baker were filed this month, and they include seven felonies connected to his actions. It appears that Baker claimed he was behind on rent to qualify for rental assistance. He went as far as setting up a bank account under the woman’s name to channel the funds, which were intended to support landlords for rent missed by tenants during the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.
Living Arrangements and Discovery of Fraud
Baker and the woman he defrauded lived together from the fall of 2019 until September 2021. During this time, Baker was not on any lease agreement nor was he expected to pay rent. The fraudulent activities came to light in April 2023 when the woman was preparing her tax returns for 2022 and noticed a 1099 form indicating she had supposedly received a payment of $1,870 from the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. Further investigation into her 2021 tax returns revealed an additional $6,225 from the same agency, which she had never received.
Investigation and Evidence
Upon discovering these discrepancies, the woman reported the suspected fraud to several agencies, including the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office. An investigation was launched, which revealed that Baker first applied for rental assistance in April 2021. He falsely claimed he owed rent for 10 months. Part of the application process required a landlord form with an e-signature, supposedly from the woman, who later confirmed that she had never seen or signed such a document. Further investigation found several more instances of forged landlord signatures on critical documents like direct deposit authorizations and W-9 forms.
Outcome and Consequences
The fraudulent scheme resulted in a check for $6,225 being issued in September 2021. This check was endorsed in the woman’s name and deposited into the newly created bank account, from which the funds were transferred to a Chime mobile banking account controlled by Baker. Baker attempted to secure additional funds in January 2022 by applying for three more months of unpaid rent assistance, again using the woman’s forged signatures on necessary documents. The case highlights the need for strict monitoring and verification processes in financial assistance programs to prevent such abuses and protect innocent individuals from identity theft and financial fraud.
