Ex-Employees Defrauded Chesco Business Out Of $133K, Police Believe

Four former workers at a Kennet Square company wrote phony checks for over a year to steal more than $130,000 from their ex-boss, according to borough police.

Clockwise from top left: Maria De La Luz Vilchis-Nava, Miguel A. Vilchis Nava, Hilda Dominguez-Bastida, and Carla Renteria.
Photo Credit: *Kennett Square Police Department*

Mac Bullock

11/28/2023 1:04 p.m.

Authorities said they were contacted by a West State Street business in April about fraudulent bank activity.

The owner told investigators that some employees were previously given permission to write checks for business-related purposes.

After that, officials said the owner discovered approximately $133,000 in bogus checks had been inked in the company's name. The alleged fraud was first noticed in September 2022 but may have been going on since April or May 2021, police said.

Four people are wanted for dealing with proceeds of unlawful activities and related counts:

Maria De La Luz Vilchis-Nava, 38, of West Grove
Miguel A. Vilchis-Nava, 48, of Avondale
Hilda Dominguez-Bastida, 23, of Avondale
Carla Renteria, 31, of Newark, Delaware

Warrants for their arrests have been issued and anyone with information is asked to contact Kennett Square Police Department.

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