From staff reports
Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office investigators arrested 34-year-old Samantha Nottingham of St. Helena Island on Thursday, July 15 on three counts of Financial Identity Fraud and three counts of Forgery. Nottingham is accused of fraudulently purchasing three vehicles.
Over the past several months, Sheriff’s Office investigators had been looking into reports of Nottingham’s suspicious financial dealings under the business name “The Eastern Westerner, LLC.”
Investigators say that between December 2020 and January 2021, Nottingham fraudulently purchased three pickup trucks at Vaden of Beaufort. Vaden estimated the total value of the trucks at approximately $312,000.
On July 8, Sheriff’s Office investigators met with a Beaufort County magistrate and obtained warrants for Nottingham’s arrest for three counts of Financial Identity Fraud and three counts of Forgery in connection with the truck purchases. After being made aware of the active arrest warrants, Nottingham met Thursday with deputies in Beaufort and turned herself in.
Nottingham was transported to the Beaufort County Detention Center, where, as of Tuesday, she remains incarcerated on $100,000 bond.
Investigators continue to look into reports of other possible fraudulent activities involving Samantha Nottingham, who has also used the last names Jordan, Matos and Swidrak.
Anyone who has information is asked to contact Sergeant David Tafoya at 843-255-3430 or Crime Stoppers of the Lowcountry at 843-554-1111, if wishing to remain anonymous and for possible reward.
