A York County woman and a Charleston County man are facing multiple charges in connection with alleged financial scams following an investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
Richard Alexander, 54, and Marie Drakeford Cunningham, 58, have each been charged with four counts of criminal conspiracy and obtaining signature or property under false pretenses valued at $10,000 or more.
Authorities located Alexander and Cunningham in North Carolina before transporting them to Lee County. Alexander was arrested on Jan. 15, while Cunningham was taken into custody on Jan. 30. Both were re-arrested on Feb. 3 in Darlington County, where deputies requested SLED’s assistance in the case.
The charges stem from two incidents in 2022, in which Alexander and Cunningham allegedly defrauded victims out of tens of thousands of dollars.
The first incident occurred on June 3, 2022, in Lee County, where the pair is accused of using false representations to obtain more than $17,500 from a victim. The second incident took place on Aug. 2, 2022, in Darlington County. Investigators allege that Alexander and Cunningham conspired to carry out a fraudulent scheme, ultimately deceiving a victim into writing them a $19,000 check.
Both suspects were booked into the W. Glenn Campbell Detention Center and later released on $15,000 bonds.
The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case as the investigation continues.
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