CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A 20-year-old woman faces charges for allegedly cashing a fraudulent ARPA check, authorities said.
Jeannia S. Caleb, of St. Thomas, was arrested and charged with passing forged bills or notes,, grand larceny, and obtaining money by false pretenses, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
On August 14, 2025, detectives from the Economic Crime Unit began investigating a complaint filed by the Virgin Islands Department of Finance against Caleb, according to the VIPD.
VIPD mug shot of Jeannia S. Caleb, 20, of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
The investigation revealed that Caleb entered the First Bank-Waterfront branch on July 9, 2025, and cashed a $67, 914.32 check, issued to her and drawn on the Government of the Virgin Islands First Bank account that holds the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, police said.
“The Department of Finance confirmed that the check was fraudulent and never issued to Caleb,” VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said. “Caleb was identified through bank surveillance, cashing the fraudulent check.”
On August 28, 2025, Caleb met with the Economic Crime Unit and was taken into official custody, booked and processed at the Richard Callwood Central Command, according to Chichester.
Bail was set at $20,000 by order of the court. Unable to post bail, Caleb was then transferred to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections at the St. Thomas jail.
Caleb is scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing in Superior Court on St. Thomas.