In January 2026, officers with the Inver Grove Heights Police Department were made aware of a check that had been deposited at a bank on Cahill Avenue in Inver Grove Heights, Dakota County, Minnesota, on October 4, 2025, that was later determined to be fictitious and returned unpaid. The check was handwritten for $4,800.00 and made out to and deposited into the account of Nena Elizabeth Godwin, [DOB REDACTED], hereinafter Defendant. The memo line contained the note: “work pay.” Following the deposit of the check, Defendant withdrew a total of $4,780.00 from the account.
After the check was returned unpaid, Defendant’s account sat at a balance of -$4,772.20 until it was eventually closed due to the balance being negative in excess of 40 days. The bank sent notices to Defendant to alert her that the check had been returned and to bring her account balance positive prior to closing her account. Investigators made contact with the company listed as being where the check was issued from, and the company confirmed that Defendant did not work for their company and that they would not issue handwritten checks for payroll.
Investigators eventually made contact with Defendant regarding the check. Defendant claimed that she had met up with an individual previously unknown to her who offered to pay her to provide PCA services to his mother and that he was the one who gave her the check. Defendant did not provide any last name for this individual. Defendant further stated that she did not perform any PCA work for the individual or his mother. Defendant claimed to have no knowledge that the check was fraudulent. Defendant is presently facing charges in Ramsey County court file number 62-CR-23-6400 for allegedly presenting a fraudulent check to a bank in the amount of $14,688.86 in 2023.
