Third arrest in investigation into fraud at Navy Federal Credit Union in Columbus

A third arrest came as Columbus police continue to investigate a major fraud case stemming from a Navy Federal Credit Union branch.

Columbus police said 40-year-old Curtis Davis was arrested and charged with third-degree forgery and theft by deception.

Police said their investigation revealed that two checks totaling $122,225.98 were deposited into the Navy Federal account of Christopher Upshaw. Upshaw is currently in federal prison, police said.

According to police, surveillance footage captured Steven Verrett, a former Navy Federal employee and the first person arrested in the investigation, depositing both checks, with Davis handing over the check at one point.

Police said the other check was deposited while Verrett was using innocent customers as a front based on video surveillance.

According to police, money was subsequently withdrawn via bank checks, ATM withdrawals and cash withdrawals at the counter.

Police say Davis was observed receiving cash from Verrett on multiple occasions. Bank records also show that Davis deposited cash from one of the cashier’s checks drawn from Upshaw’s account into his own personal account, police said.

Davis is scheduled to appear in Recorder’s Court at 2 p.m. on Thursday.

Previous arrests in this Columbus fraud case

Columbus police had previously arrested Verrett and Demetrius Redding.

Verrett was the first to be arrested in May and was charged with:

• Third degree forgery (five counts)

• Identity fraud (three cases)

• Criminal attempt to commit theft by deception (two counts)

• Theft by deception (two counts)

• Counterfeiting of payment cards

• Computer intrusion

• Computer invasion of privacy

• Computer forgery

Redding was arrested in July and charged with four counts of third-degree forgery and four counts of attempted theft by deception, according to police.