Lethbridge woman pleads guilty to 12 fraud, forgery and stolen property charges

On March 1, 2018, Lethbridge Police searched her home and found a bag with U.S. bills that had the same serial numbers as those given to the businesses, ink cartridges, and a printer. She admitted to passing off the fake bills but told police she was high on drugs at the time.

According to a second Agreed Statement of Facts, around the same time, LPS began another investigation into Zinger after finding an under-priced Dodge Ram for sale on Kijiji.

During their investigation, Lethbridge Police found that a woman’s wallet had been stolen from the Taber Walmart 2.5 years ago. Only after police spoke to her, did she find out that numerous transactions had occurred in her name and without her permission.

The woman discovered that bank accounts were opened, credit cards applied for, and credit lines opened for at least two vehicles. Business accounts with Telus were also opened and police began tracking the transactions.

Investigators found that Zinger and her husband used that women’s stolen driver’s license and social insurance number to open accounts and to get the lines of credit from TD Auto Finance and Scotia Bank in the amounts of $41,940.24 and $32,415.22 respectively. Another person’s bank account number was also used.

On Jan. 31, 2018 Lethbridge Police stopped Zinger’s husband as he was driving a 2014 Dodge Ram that had been purchased with a line of credit. Zinger was a passenger and gave police a fake name. LPS also found that the vehicle’s license plate was stolen.

Police then executed several search warrants on several locations and vehicles associated with the Zingers – including their home. There, they found five printers, a professional heat-sealer, cards, keys, tools, mail, phones and license plates, and personal cheques that had been forged. There were also fake driver’s licenses, fake bills of sale, banking documents, and test print pages for cheques.

A stolen semi- automatic rifle in operating order was also recovered from the couple’s bedroom. Neither Zinger nor her husband were authorized to possess the gun.

Zinger’s now ex- husband, Adam Daniel Zinger, pleaded guilty to several charges Oct. 22, 2018. He received a 27-month prison sentence.

The vehicles that were fraudulently obtained were eventually recovered, although Olsen says there may also be some issues with paying restitution for outstanding monies from the lines of credit that were fraudulently obtained.

Zinger will be back in Lethbridge Provincial Court for sentencing Oct. 30. Ouellette has asked that a PSR (Pre-Sentencing Report) be completed in the meantime. He added that while she was with her ex-husband, the 36-year-old became addicted to drugs, but is now in recovery.

She remains out on bail, under strict house arrest conditions.

by Lara Fominoff

Lethbridge woman pleads guilty to 12 fraud, forgery and stolen property charges

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