York Township woman accused of kidnapping daughter faces new charges
A York Township woman wanted by the FBI on charges she kidnapped her infant daughter and fled to New Zealand is now accused of passing fraudulent money orders.
Bianca Ellen Ormsby, 21, is charged with passing a counterfeit obligation or security, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Detroit.
The FBI has been seeking Ormsby since May after agents say she fled to New Zealand two months earlier with her then 10-month-old daughter, Sydney, in violation of a court-ordered custody arrangement. At the time, Ormsby and 21-year-old Adam Thomas, Sydney's father, had temporary joint legal custody of Sydney.
This photo appears on the Facebook page, "BIANCA sets the record straight."
Photo from Facebook.com
The complaint filed Thursday accuses Ormsby of depositing four counterfeit U.S. Postal Service money orders and a counterfeit U.S. Treasury refund check into Thomas' bank account.
Ormsby's family members in York Township could not immediately be reached for comment today.
The alleged criminal activity occurred in June 2009 at a Comerica bank in Oakland County, according to an affidavit supporting the complaint by Special Agent Marc Miles of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
The affidavit says Ormsby deposited a counterfeit U.S. Treasury refund check made payable to herself in the amount of $3,980.77. Of the four counterfeit U.S. Postal Service money orders Ormsby is accused of depositing, two were made out to Thomas for $920 each, while the others were made out to Ormsby in amounts of $825 and $920.
Investigators obtained ATM photographs of a woman appearing to be Ormsby depositing the tax refund check into Thomas' account, the affidavit says.
Agents also have a "notarized affidavit signed by Ormsby stating the refund check was hers" and she was allowing it to be deposited, the affidavit says.
According to the affidavit, Thomas told agents he let Ormsby use his ATM card because he "was working a lot and wanted her to have access to money if she needed it for their daughter." Ormsby claimed "she was getting checks from her father" and depositing them into the account, the affidavit says.
Thomas also told investigators he didn't sign either money order made out to him, the affidavit says.
It's unclear what efforts are being made to apprehend Ormsby. FBI spokeswoman Sandra Berchtold declined to comment this afternoon.
Thomas has temporary sole legal custody of Sydney. His attorney, Jacalen Garris, did not return a phone call seeking comment Friday.
Facebook pages have been set up for Thomas and Ormsby, where each is sharing their side of the story. The case has generated significant media attention in New Zealand, where Ormsby was born and has citizenship.
If Ormsby is convicted of the latest charge, she faces up to 20 years in prison. In May, she was charged in a federal criminal complaint with international parental kidnapping, which is punishable by up to three years in prison upon conviction.
In addition to being sought by agents from the FBI and TIGTA, Ormsby is wanted by Washtenaw County sheriff’s deputies on a custodial interference charge and on a warrant for failing to appear in court, county court records show.
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
Jennifer
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 : 7:14 p.m.
lol...some people tell lies..such as "they post a photo they found on facebook....from Polly.....haha that photo was not found on facebook. READ THE ARTICLE PROPERLY!!!!!!!!! and to add to that...shes not hiding but working with the NZ court system etc...so people should stop trying to be heros wanting her picture to locate her. (4x4 saline)
Jennifer
Wed, Jun 30, 2010 : 7:04 p.m.
lol...some people tell lies..such as "they post a photo they found on facebook....from Polly.....haha that photo was not found on facebook. READ THE ARTICLE PROPERLY!!!!!!!!! and to add to that...shes not hiding but working with the NZ court system etc...so people should stop trying to be heros wanting her picture to locate her. (4x4 saline)
Candace
Thu, Jun 24, 2010 : 8:55 p.m.
've done a little research into the new charges, knowing that the source of this latest development has been consistently slanted in Adam Thomas' favor. I have posted some of the fraudulent money orders deposited into Adams account- written to and signed by Adam. Here are some points to keep in mind: 1. In the news article, Adam claims that he gave Bianca an ATM card for his account so she could withdraw money for the baby (at this time they were living together, 5 weeks after Sydney's birth). However, this statement is a lie. Adam did not give financial support towards his daughter, Bianca was often forced to go to her relatives asking for money to purchase diapers and other baby essentials for her young daughter. I would bet that if you were to inspect Adam's bank records you would not find evidence of any money put towards the baby. Side note - If the money wasn't going to the baby, and certainly wasn't funding the new and exhausted mother in shopping sprees, where did it go? Adam purchased a car at the time, and in light of his alcohol-related arrests, it seems a safe assumption that part of it may have gone towards funding his self-admitted alcohol abuse problem. While they were living together, Bianca commonly noticed Adam returning home late smelling of alcohol and obviously drunk, though he denied it. Bianca has stated over and over that Adam was negligent in financially supporting his daughter. All receipts for baby essentials and food were paid for by Bianca or her relatives. 2. IF Bianca was really behind this fraud, why didn't she deposit it into her own account and spend the money herself? Why give it to Adam, when their relationship was clearly on the rocks with his bachelor-lifestyle, and when Adam refused to spend any money on his daughter? 3. The police report against Bianca for these fraudulent checks (yes, the ones posted in Adam's name, in Adam's handwriting, with Adam's signature) was filed 3 days after she finally got up the courage to leave Adam. From my perspective, it seems that we have a vindictive deadbeat dad here who was physically and mentally abusive. When Bianca left, he decides to sue for custody and pin his fraudulent behavior on her. Adam clearly knows how to work the media, and also the court system. They have supported him while denying Bianca a fair hearing. The more I learn about this situation, the more disturbed I become. What has happened here is wrong. It is my hope and prayer that Bianca gets a fair trial in the NZ justice system, and that the media in NZ will strive to present an unbiased view of the facts.
Polly
Wed, Jun 23, 2010 : 2:29 p.m.
shady shady! 4x4Saline you can see a photo of Bianca if you read this New Zealand paper http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10648374&ref=rss They post a photo of her found on facebook.
Candace
Tue, Jun 22, 2010 : 9:47 a.m.
Sounds like both parents were involved in this. Poor baby. Hopefully the baby can end up with the grandparents. If not, I'll take her! :)
Cash
Tue, Jun 22, 2010 : 6:30 a.m.
Sounds like two adults acting as children...and the real child suffers.
Shelby
Mon, Jun 21, 2010 : 10:07 p.m.
That agent Marc Miles is da man. Go get her Marc.
MyOpinion
Mon, Jun 21, 2010 : 12:33 p.m.
Yeah. When New Zealand plays in their next World Cup game, she might be in the stands and we can send a message to the authorities.
4x4Saline
Mon, Jun 21, 2010 : 12:22 p.m.
Why post a picture of the innocent baby? We want to see what Bianca looks like so we can help catch her.
Wolverine3660
Mon, Jun 21, 2010 : 12:13 p.m.
I wonder why the FBI hasnt already arrested this woman in New Zealand yet.