Hialeah resident Sonia Infante‑Perez was taken into custody Thursday after Miami‑Dade deputies said she ran a counterfeit check scheme through three Regions Bank branches, leaving the bank short about $47,664. Investigators say surveillance footage, along with the use of a Florida driver’s license, tied the deposits directly to her.
How deputies say the scheme unfolded
According to deputies, the activity started on Dec. 17, 2025, when Infante‑Perez allegedly cashed three counterfeit checks at three different Regions branches in roughly an hour. Investigators say she came back the next day and deposited a $34,982.88 check into her own account. Each check was reportedly issued in the name of a company called Contemporary Pools and made payable to Infante‑Perez. Regions Bank ultimately logged a $47,664 loss, as reported by WPLG Local 10.
Charges and booking details
Infante‑Perez, 55, was booked on multiple counts, including grand theft, organized fraud, cashing or depositing a worthless check, and possessing a counterfeit payment instrument. She was held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $20,000 bond, and deputies said she must prove the bond money comes from legitimate sources before she can post it. In the arrest report, she told deputies the checks were "compensation for a digital marketing campaign" but could not provide contact information for the supposed employer, according to WPLG Local 10.
Fraud trends that put banks and small businesses at risk
Even with the rise of online scams, old‑school check and card schemes still represent a notable slice of financial crime in the United States. The FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report tallied $16.6 billion in reported losses last year and found that credit‑card and check fraud together accounted for nearly $200 million of that total, according to the FBI IC3 report. That national context is part of why investigators say quick review of surveillance footage and fast reporting by banks are key to limiting losses and identifying suspects.
What neighbors should know
Authorities urge bank customers to keep a close eye on account statements, question any unexpected deposits, and contact their branch or local law enforcement about suspicious transactions. This arrest is one of several local bank‑fraud cases in recent years, including a 2025 case where a Miami woman was accused in a $75,000 scheme, illustrating how these crimes continue to surface despite tighter security.
