Man charged with stealing $23,500 from Hatfield Township resident in bank fraud scheme, police say – North Penn Now
Police allege Texan suspect opened account to receive fraudulent wire transfer before moving money through Zelle
A Texas man is facing multiple felony charges after Hatfield Township Police alleged he received and transferred more than $23,000 fraudulently stolen from a Hatfield Township resident’s Wells Fargo account as part of an identity theft and banking fraud scheme.
Baltazar J. Baez Jr., 24, of Dallas, was charged by Hatfield Township Police with felony access device fraud, identity theft, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property following a months-long investigation into the theft of $23,500 from a township resident’s bank account.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, police responded May 28, 2025 to the 500 block of Derstine Road after a resident reported discovering fraudulent activity on his Wells Fargo account.
The victim told investigators he received a fraud alert text message on May 7 asking whether he had authorized a $23,500 wire transfer to Baez. He immediately contacted Wells Fargo and learned his account had also been closed, his username changed, delivery preferences altered and a claim initiated without his authorization, according to the complaint.
The victim also reported three unauthorized charges totaling $424 on a Capital One business credit card, which were later reimbursed by the bank, police said.
Investigators obtained search warrants for Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Zelle records, which police allege traced the $23,500 wire transfer to a Bank of America account belonging to Baez in Dallas.
Detectives also obtained mobile app login information, IP address records and cellphone data that allegedly placed account access near Baez’s residence in Texas.
According to police, Baez later admitted during a telephone interview that he opened the Bank of America account after being contacted through the Telegram messaging application by someone he knew only as “DOJ.”
Investigators allege Baez said he agreed to receive the wire transfer before forwarding the money through Zelle accounts because he had been promised access to a popular Instagram account with thousands or possibly millions of followers, telling detectives he wanted the account “for notoriety and clout.”
Baez also told investigators he had deleted the Telegram messages, Zelle transaction history and Instagram account after the transfer, per the affidavit.
However, police said search warrant returns from Zelle contradicted Baez’s account. Investigators allege records showed Baez remained the recipient of multiple subsequent transfers into Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase accounts belonging to him after the money was moved from his Bank of America account.
Detectives wrote that the records indicated Baez was the sole recipient of the stolen funds rather than simply forwarding the money to another individual.
Charges were filed with the county in December, and Baez Jr. was finally arraigned Wednesday night.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty.
