Home / Crime and Justice / Indiana Law Office Accused of Fake Court Orders
Indiana Law Office Accused of Fake Court Orders
18 Oct
Summary
- Ex-legal secretary faces 42 felony charges for alleged fraud.
- Over 40 individuals may have been victims of fake court documents.
- Clients paid significant sums for expungements and driving cases.
Heather Ann Textor, a former legal secretary at a Merrillville, Indiana law office, has been charged with 42 felonies and three misdemeanors. An investigation spanning three years revealed that Textor allegedly collected payments from individuals seeking expungement and driving-related legal services. She is accused of providing clients with court orders that bore forged judges' signatures, leading some to believe their legal issues were resolved.
At least 40 people are believed to have been affected by this alleged fraud. These individuals later faced consequences such as arrest or jail when they discovered the court documents were not genuine and their records remained uncleared or driving privileges not reinstated. Textor allegedly diverted some client payments through personal accounts rather than the law firm's official books.
The investigation began after a Gary man discovered a supposed expungement was not reflected in his record during a background check. Upon examination, the court documents he presented were found to have non-genuine signatures and incorrect identifying numbers. The law firm terminated Textor's employment in November 2023 after uncovering payment irregularities.
