NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – A months-long investigation by the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office has resulted in the arrest of a Hilliard man accused of operating a large-scale fraud scheme involving stolen identities, forged checks and attempts to steal more than $100,000.
According to the sheriff’s office, 26-year-old Colin Wade Harris faces multiple felony charges, including first-degree grand theft over $100,000, uttering forged bills, fraudulent use of a credit card, using the identity of another without consent, and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.
Harris is being held without bond at the Nassau County Jail and Detention Center.
The investigation began in December 2025 after a victim reported that a $100 check had been altered to $1,000 and deposited after the intended recipient’s name was changed.
Detectives later reviewed surveillance video from a local bank and identified Harris allegedly depositing the altered check while using another person’s identity.
As investigators expanded the case, they uncovered additional fraudulent transactions.
In one instance, detectives said Harris deposited seven checks totaling more than $5,000 that were intended for a local nonprofit organization. Investigators also discovered photographs on Harris’ cellphone showing 15 additional checks made payable to the same organization, including one valued at $175,000.
According to investigators, Harris opened bank accounts using stolen identities to deposit the fraudulent checks.
After Harris was jailed on unrelated charges, detectives obtained a search warrant for his cellphone. The investigation revealed he had purchased the personal identifying information of at least 109 people, most of them Nassau County residents, including an employee of the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities also allege Harris attempted to have someone remotely erase data associated with his Apple account after learning detectives had obtained the search warrant for his phone.
“This was a calculated scheme that targeted innocent victims, businesses and even a local non-profit organization,” Sheriff Bill Leeper said. “Our detectives worked tirelessly to uncover the full scope of this operation, and their work prevented even more people from becoming victims. Fraud is not a victimless crime, and we will continue to aggressively investigate those who steal from others for their own personal gain.”
The sheriff’s office said Harris was already serving probation for a previous conviction involving trafficking in counterfeit credit cards.
The investigation remains ongoing.