A Utah man, Nicholas R. Boschetti, is facing serious charges after allegedly draining $13,000 from the Alpine Standard gas station’s bank account through fraudulent checks cashed at multiple Wyoming banks in September, Cowboy State Daily reports.
Boschetti, 34, maintains he was unaware the checks were fake and claims he was hired by an unknown individual to cash them.
The alleged fraud occurred on September 19. Court documents and surveillance footage detail how Boschetti, dressed casually in a camouflage hoodie with a Ford logo, baggy jeans, and a black beanie, cashed checks at three branches of the Bank of Star Valley.
- Afton Branch: Boschetti cashed a $3,418.26 check around 12:37 p.m.
- Thayne Branch: About an hour later, he cashed a $4,281.13 check.
- Alpine Branch: At approximately 2 p.m., he presented a $5,318.42 check, triggering the bank’s fraud detection protocols due to the large sum.
The total withdrawals amounted to $13,017.81. Bank staff became suspicious during the third transaction and contacted the account holder, who confirmed the checks were fraudulent.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office was notified around 3:30 p.m., and Deputy Carson Wagstaff began gathering evidence, including surveillance footage and copies of the checks. The fraudulent checks bore similarities to the gas station’s legitimate ones but had noticeable differences.
By the time authorities issued a warrant for Boschetti’s arrest, he had already left Lincoln County. He was taken into custody by October 30 and appeared in court on November 1.
In a handwritten letter to the judge, Boschetti claimed he was a victim of a scam. He said a man in Salt Lake City offered him a job cashing checks for a construction company’s accounts payable department. According to Boschetti, the man assured him the checks were legitimate and even provided transportation in a gray Hyundai with Florida license plates.
“I was told the checks were no[t] fraudulent,” Boschetti wrote.
He asserted he neither created the checks nor understood they were fake.
Boschetti urged investigators to review surveillance footage from a Utah motel where he claims the driver abandoned him. He also provided a phone number and a name he believes are tied to the individual who hired him.
Boschetti faces six felony charges—three for theft and three for forgery—each carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. His case has been elevated to Lincoln County District Court, with a trial scheduled for March 10.
While Boschetti insists he was an unwitting participant, authorities continue to investigate his claims and the broader scheme. The phone number he provided was disconnected, and it remains unclear whether the alleged mastermind has any ties to the Alpine Standard gas station.
