Twin Brothers Accused of Forging Checks, ID Swapping

Two 50-year-old twin brothers from Mendota Heights face felony charges for allegedly forging their father's signature on checks. 

Around 4 p.m. on Aug. 16, the Eagan Police Department was called to a local bank on report of a forgery in progress. The reporting party told dispatch that a man was trying to cash a check that previously had been flagged as forged. At the time of the call, the suspect's car was still idling in the drive through lane.

When police arrived, they found two remarkably similar-looking men, later identified as James George Awada, Jr. and John Charles Awada, who are apparently twins. 

Officers spoke with the tellers who said that a person later identified as James Awada pulled up to the drive through and tried to cash a $1,000 check that drew on his parents' account. The check purportedly bore the signature of the account holder, his father. The teller said that when he processed the check he received an alert from the system, saying that the account had been flagged the day before at the senior Awada's request.  

When questioned by police, James Awada waived his constitutional right to remain silent. According to the criminal complaint, he admitted that he and his brother had been passing his parents' checks for a couple of weeks, hitting up various banks across the Twin Cities region to avoid detection. At one point, he said that he'd given John his ID "because he didn't want to sign anything." He added that he knew that what they were doing was illegal.

James Awada denied receiving any money from the transactions. He explained that he was trying to help his brother, who was having personal problems and wanted to get out of town. James Awada said that he felt like their parents owed it to him because they had been too controlling. 

For his part, John Awada also chose to waive his right to remain silent. He said that due to a substance abuse problem in the past his parents had taken control of his assets. They never had relinquished conservatorship of his assets, and he was only able to obtain a small amount of money each week from them. Under questioning, he allegedly admitted that he'd relapsed and was abusing drugs again, specifically cocaine.

By his estimation, he had passed at least a half a dozen of his parents' checks, ranging from $500 to $1,000 each. 

During a search of the brothers' car, police found a prescription medication bottle belonging to James Awada, containing a pill of Percocet and another of morphine. He did not have a prescription for either. 

James Awada has been charged with one fifth-degree drug charge and two counts of aiding and abetting check forgery, all felonies punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. John Awada faces two counts of aiding and abetting check forgery as well.

The brothers' next court appearance is scheduled for mid-December.