BPD makes arrest in credit card fraud case

A Bloomington Police Department detective uncovered a credit scam operating via a local chiropractic practice following a nearly five-month investigation.

Dennis Faulkner, 51, was arrested and charged with identity deception, fraud on a financial institution and theft, all Class C felonies.

Detective Christopher Ryan uncovered an operation from within Faulkner Chiropractic and Acupuncture, where Faulkner was found to be wiring money from erroneous credit lines made in clients' names, Detective Sgt. John Kovach said.

The warrant for Faulkner's arrest was served Wednesday and he turned himself into Bloomington police.

Faulkner was the office manager at the practice.

The business has a policy in place where a client may establish a line of credit where sessions could be charged, Kovach said. The activity would never show on the clients' actual statements and no interest would accumulate as long as the minimum payment was paid.

Faulkner allegedly create the accounts, rake in the cash and make the minimum payment. Kovach said Faulkner would monitor the activity online.

Kovach said Faulkner established a total of 48 credit lines, accumulating to $210, 800 and made $43,000 in payments. At the time of the arrest, he had an outstanding balance of $167, 568.60.

When questioned by police, Faulkner said his wife, the chiropractor of the practice, had no knowledge of the operating. He also said the reason he began the operation was to supplement the cash flow of the business because of personal and financial difficulties.

An anonymous caller tipped off the investigation back in early April after the credit company Care Credit contacted BPD, Kovach said.
 
— Michael Majchrowicz