Coralville Man Accused of Cashing Thousands in Forged Checks

30-year-old allegedly deposited 10 checks from closed accounts over 3 weeks

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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A Coralville man named Joel Andrews has been arrested and charged with Forgery after an investigation found he deposited over $6,600 in forged checks belonging to at least three individuals into a CBI bank account between October 30th and November 17th of last year. Some of the checks were allegedly taken from burglaries, and Andrews was later found in possession of blank checks from the same closed accounts.

Why it matters

Forgery and check fraud are serious crimes that can have significant financial and legal consequences for victims. This case highlights the need for vigilance by banks and consumers to detect and prevent such fraudulent activities, which can undermine trust in the financial system.

The details

According to court documents, the 30-year-old Andrews allegedly deposited 10 checks totaling over $6,600 into a CBI bank account on Holiday Road in Coralville. The checks did not belong to the victims whose accounts they were drawn from, and the accounts had previously been closed. Some of the checks were reportedly taken from burglaries. On February 3rd, Andrews was found in possession of blank checks from the same closed accounts belonging to two of the victims.

  • Between October 30th and November 17th, 2025, Andrews allegedly deposited the forged checks.
  • On February 3rd, 2026, Andrews was found in possession of blank checks from the same closed accounts.

The players

Joel Andrews

A 30-year-old Coralville resident who has been charged with Forgery for allegedly depositing over $6,600 in forged checks.

CBI Bank

The bank where Andrews allegedly deposited the forged checks on Holiday Road in Coralville.

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What’s next

A warrant for Andrews' arrest was issued on Monday, and he faces up to five years in prison if convicted of Forgery.

The takeaway

This case underscores the importance of financial institutions and consumers remaining vigilant to detect and prevent check fraud, which can have serious consequences for victims and undermine trust in the banking system.