Texas Man Arrested for Fraud Scheme in Danville
DANVILLE, Ind. — A Texas man is accused of posing as a Danville town official to scam residents.
According to court documents filed in Hendricks County, 37-year-old Chaz Chennault, of Sulphur Springs, Texas, defrauded a person out of thousands of dollars. He has since been charged with one felony count each of theft, fraud, forgery, and identity deception.
The investigation into Chennault began after a person reported receiving emails that appeared to come from town officials in Danville regarding fees owed in connection with a zoning matter. The victim sent thousands of dollars to Chennault’s bank account, believing the emails were legitimate.
Detectives identified Chennault as the suspect in the fraud scheme after reviewing email accounts, financial records, and internet activity. Chennault created fake emails posing as town officials to convince people to send him money for fees they didn’t owe.
Investigators also said Chennault used publicly available government meeting information to identify and contact potential victims.
“The Danville Police Department takes all fraud investigations seriously and remains committed to identifying offenders, protecting victims and holding those responsible accountable,” the release said. “Financial fraud and cyber-enabled crimes continue to increase nationwide and often require complex, resource-intensive investigations involving multiple jurisdictions and private companies.
After an arrest warrant for Chennault was issued in Hendricks County on July 6, he was arrested in Texas and taken to the Hopkins County Jail. He’s awaiting extradition back to Indiana.
