FISHERS — Writer and sports betting expert Christopher Price is accused of defrauding a Fishers bank out of $8,563.77.
Hamilton County prosecutors charged Price with Fraud on a Financial Institution, a felony, following a police investigation that began on June 6 at the Citizens State Bank on Municipal Drive in Fishers.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed June 17, Price made a deposit into a newly opened business account, savings account and personal account at Citizens State Bank from a check written to his business in the amount of $519.00.
Soon after, Price deposited additional checks written on accounts controlled by Price at other banks, records show.
He transferred funds between accounts at Citizens State Bank to appear as if he was conducting legitimate banking activity, according to the Fishers Police investigation.
The checks written on Price’s other accounts were subsequently returned to Citizens State Bank because all of the other accounts had been closed, according to prosecutors.
“By the time the check was charged back to Citizens State Bank, Price would have made teller withdrawals, written checks, or made ATM withdrawals while depositing additional checks to cover the charge backs and negative balance,” wrote Fishers Police Detective Dean Mucha. “This made it appear as if Price’s accounts were maintaining a positive balance, however the only real money that was deposited into the account is the initial check from the Old National Bank in the amount of $519.10 and the unknown credit to his account in the amount of $0.34.”
Citizens State Bank suffered a lost off $8,563.77 as a result of Price’s activities, prosecutors allege.
Price has similar crimes on his record, including a 2015 theft case in which Price was convicted.
Records in that case show he is now accused of violating the terms of his probation for the sixth time, and a fact-finding hearing on his alleged probation violations is scheduled for August 1.
Price made a $900 restitution payment in the 2015 theft case on May 30, records show.
In the days before, Price made $1,600 in withdrawals from his Citizens State Bank accounts on May 28 and May 29, according to the Fishers Police investigation.
Price had offered gambling advice on the Dan Dakich show on 1070 The Fan and has also written numerous articles about sports betting.
The radio program no longer uses Price.
As RTV6 previously reported, Price was arrested in 2016 on numerous outstanding felony warrants, after more than a year of evading arrest.
Since then, he has violated the terms of his probation several times.
He was charged in Marion County and Hamilton Counties with intimidation, harassment, theft, fraud on a financial institution and possession of a controlled substance.
Records show Price has not served any time in state prison, and he’s served a handful of days in both the Marion and Hamilton county jails in 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Price's incarceration dates are as follows:
- 3/29/18 –4/11/18- Marion County
- 3/23/18 – 3/29/18- Hamilton County
- 2/23/17 – 3/01/17- Hamilton County
- 6/24/16 – 6/24/16- Hamilton County
- 4/28/16 – 6/24/16- Marion County
- 4/3/14 – 4/18/14- Marion County
- 3/10/14 – 3/16/14- Marion County
- 5/08/12 – 5/09/12- Hamilton County
- 4/21/12 – 4/21/12- Hamilton County
- 12/21/11 – 12/21/11- Hamilton County
In March 2018 Price was charged in Hamilton County with fraud on a financial institution, check deception, and forgery with the intent to defraud. Prosecutors later dismissed those charges against Price in October 2018.
In February 2015, Price was charged with theft and fraud of a financial institution in Hamilton County for executing a scheme to obtain money by posing as a worker with Renew Services.
In March 2017, Price pleaded guilty to theft and a Hamilton County judge sentenced Price to electronic monitoring and a year of probation, as well as restitution totaling $9,922. Records show in that case, the court found Price violated his probation four different times and declared Price as indigent.
In a 2012 criminal case, prosecutors said Price raped his ex-girlfriend and threatened to send sexual videos and pictures to her friends, the Carmel school where she worked, and to an amateur porn site.
In an interview with police, Price denied raping the woman but admitted to putting a pillow over her face and told her that he was going to send the videos and pictures to her workplace.
“Yeah, I’m a [expletive],” Price told the police.
Police found Price used multiple phones to harass the woman, and posed as a female friend of Price.
He was charged with intimidation and harassment, but court records show Price failed to appear in court in June 2014 and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was convicted of intimidation, and as part of a plea agreement, the harassment charge was dismissed.
In the intimidation case, Price was cited numerous times for violating his probation—in 2014, 2016 and again in 2018.
Price is also facing a civil lawsuit for allegedly failing to pay a subcontractor.
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He has several companies registered with the state including CL&Co., LLC and Christopher Lee & Company, records show.
Call 6 Investigates has been unable to reach Price for comment.
Price’s attorney Scott Wyatt declined to comment on the charges against Price, saying he was just appointed to the case.
Price posted bond in the Fishers bank fraud case on June 24, and was released from jail.
A spokesperson for Citizens State Bank declined to comment on the criminal charges against Price.
He has an active criminal warrant in Clark County, Nevada, records show.
