BPUB Recovers Funds Lost in Scam

BROWNSVILLE, TX – The Brownsville Public Utilities Board (BPUB) announces that Wells-Fargo Bank, BPUB’s depository bank, received a check for $1,321,610.66 from Bank of America for deposit in BPUB’s account for funds caught up in a scam.

This deposit means there will be no loss of BPUB funds because of the forged ACH directive received by BPUB from Noble Construction, a vendor currently working on a project for BPUB.

BPUB had received a request from Noble Construction to change Noble’s bank account information. BPUB made a payment to the updated account after receiving an invoice. The afternoon the deposit was made, Noble Construction advised BPUB that the request to change bank accounts was a forgery.

BPUB management credits the fast action from BPUB’s finance personnel along with hard work done by federal and local law enforcement and the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office with the successful recovery of funds.

“BPUB gives a big thank you to the professionals working within our company who first discovered the fraud and all of the law enforcement personnel who have worked on this case. All of their dedication made this possible,” said BPUB General Manager & CEO John S. Bruciak.

BPUB will continue to work with authorities and the fraud units from the two banks involved.