MITCHELL — A Mitchell man is facing multiple charges, including forgery and theft, after he allegedly forged his estranged wife’s signature on an insurance claim check.
Paul E. White, 66, was formally charged following a report filed with the Indiana State Police.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Trooper Samuel R. Gillespie, the investigation began on June 12, 2025, after a woman reported that she believed her estranged husband, White, had forged her signature on a State Farm insurance check. The check was for a claim White had filed, stating that fishing equipment had been stolen from his boat.
The woman, who is legally separated from White, discovered that the check for $1,777.81, which bore both their names, was cashed on June 9, 2025. She provided the police with a copy of the cashed check, noting that the signature was not hers. She also stated that a representative from Hoosier Hills Credit Union had told her that White was willing to give her half the money, an offer she declined.
When Trooper Gillespie interviewed White, he initially claimed that the woman had signed the check. However, under further questioning, he admitted that he was the one who signed her name. He stated that he had gone to the woman’s residence to get her to sign it, but, finding she was not home, he signed her name himself while at a picnic table.
White also admitted that a friend owned some of the items listed in the insurance claim. He told the trooper that he had informed State Farm that all the items belonged to him. The total value of the stolen items was listed at less than $750.
White has been charged with forgery and theft, both Level 6 felonies, as well as fraud, a Class A misdemeanor, and false reporting, a Class B misdemeanor.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the Probable Cause Affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
