AURORA | Aurora police announced Wednesday that investigators have arrested a man and a boy, and identified another man, suspected of repeatedly defrauding a 16-year-old Aurora boy.
Police have arrested 19-year-old Abdihakiin Hassan and an unnamed 16-year-old boy on a litany of financial charges, including money laundering, identity theft and forgery.
Police believe Hassan, the boy and 23-year-old Hussein Farah convinced a 16-year-old high school student to give them access to his bank account last summer. The trio then deposited falsified money orders into the boy’s account, but quickly withdrew cash before the bank was able to determine the deposits were forged.
The boy was then on the hook for the bounced funds.
After filing criminal charges and issuing warrants for the trio’s arrest in early January, Hassan turned himself in late last month. Authorities arrested the unnamed juvenile involved in the scheme on Feb. 2.
Farah is still at large.
Officials warned that the trio may have tried similar tactics with other area teens, and urged parents to ask their children if they’ve been contacted.
“Victims may be hesitant to come forward due to a fear of being criminally charged,” Agent Faith Goodrich, spokeswoman for Aurora police, wrote in a statement. “However, the APD and District Attorney’s Office will review each case and may take the stance, as they did in this case, that these are innocent victims that have been coerced by the suspects into the scheme.”
Anyone with any information related to Farah’s whereabouts or other aspects of this case is encouraged to call Investigator Myshell Bolton at 303-739-6142.
Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous can also call the Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. The local branch of Crime Stoppers U.S.A. offer rewards of up to $2,000 for legitimate information.