GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – A De Pere man is facing several charges for defrauding people on Craigslist and stealing money from Taco Bell.
38-year-old Allan J. Sandus is charged with 7 felonies, including fraud against financial institution, theft by fraud, theft by employee and bail jumping.
Sandus string of crimes began on October 5, 2015, when Green Bay Police began investigating a report of a theft by employee at Taco Bell.
Officials with Pacific Bells, Inc., a franchisee of Taco Bell, reported that deposits from locations in Green Bay and Manitowoc were never deposited at their bank between September 16 and September 29, 2015.
The total amount taken from those locations were approximately $30,000.
Officials named Allan Sandus as a possible suspect, since he was one of just a few people who in charge of making deposits for those stores.
A friend tipped off investigators that on September 29, Sandus was spotted at Oneida Casino.
During an initial interview with Sandus, officers asked him if he knew the banking procedures that needed to be done with the deposits. Sandus replied that he did know the procedure and that the company verified the slip ticket printed by the bank after deposit matches the sales from the business day. He added that when he did do deposits, “He did not verify the ticket amount with the sales.”
When asked about the policy about missing money, Sandus said he was to call the police if there was $50 or more missing. There were previous incidents at his locations where money had been missing that he did not report. Sandus was asked why, and he replied that he was told not to do so.
Sandus, when asked about going to the casino, stated he goes to the casino, “Once in a while.” He later changed his answer to, “2 to 3 times a week.”
Investigators later learned that the bank with which Pacific Bells does business with did not provide Sandus with deposit slips and that the bank, “Never received the money.”
The investigation later uncovered his Fun Club membership at Oneida Casino account was active with amounts that corresponded with amounts missing from the Taco Bell locations on those particular dates.
Then on January 8, 2016, police in Jackson, Tennessee contacted De Pere police about an investigation involving a resident named Allan Sandus. A woman said she was the victim of theft while trying to buy tickets to the College Football National Championship game on Craigslist.
The woman contacted the seller, Sandus, by email, text and voice mail. She paid $1,000 through the mobile payment service SquareUp. She told officers she never received the tickets.
The next month, Cornelius, North Carolina police had a report which they sent to De Pere about a woman claiming to be the victim of a theft. She tried buying 4 tickets to the Super Bowl on Craigslist on January 25. Through communication, the seller identified himself as Allan Sandus.
That victim sent $5,500 through two methods to Sandus for the tickets. When a FedEX arrived at her home from Green Bay, she discovered a cut in the envelope and no tickets inside. She then lost communication with Sandus.
On February 25, 2016, an investigation by the Jefferson County Colorado Sheriff’s Department found that a man had communicated with an Allan Sandus to buy 4 tickets to the Super Bowl on Craigslist. He and 3 friends sent electronic payments to Sandus’ account totaling $6,400.
Those online transactions were investigated, with all information leading to Sandus’ various email and bank accounts. These crimes by Sandus violated terms of his bond established on January 19, 2016.
Finally, Ashwaubenon Public Safety responded to Schneider Community Credit Union for a report of fraud on March 8, 2016. Officials say a customer named Allan Sandus opened an account on December 23, 2015. But on January 8, Sandus deposited a check written to him from himself for $3,000 and then withdrew the money. He did the same thing the next day for $2,500.
Credit union officials say both checks were returned with nonsufficient funds. They contacted Sandus on several occasions, who said he would be repaying the bank the funds. Sandus never did.
Allan Sandus is due back in court on June 1 and June 2 for separate status hearings. If convicted on all counts, Sandus faces more than 35 years in prison.
