FLORIDA WOMAN ALLEGEDLY HID $3,180 IN HER BODY AT JAIL
A Florida bank scam suspect allegedly smuggled $3,180 into jail hidden inside her body, deputies said.
Moniquie Love Turnbull, 31, of Miami, was arrested during a traffic stop near Interstate 95 on August 17, 2026, FOX 13 reported.
The cash was not found at the stop. Sheriff John Budensiek said detectives learned about it after Turnbull complained of pain during a jail phone call.
“Our detectives went back over to the jail. They interviewed her yet again. She admitted to having money inside of her. She said at that point it was only $400. And then later, as they interviewed her a little more, she said it was $3,180,” Budensiek told CBS12.
How the alleged scam worked
The scheme allegedly began with a phone call from someone posing as a Chase Bank fraud representative, Yahoo News reported.
Turnbull then allegedly showed up at a senior’s home, claimed to represent the person’s bank and offered to take the card away. The sheriff’s office said she offered to “handle the appropriate disposal of the card,” PEOPLE reported.
One report said she went by the name “Monica” during the visit. The senior’s account showed withdrawals totaling $3,180, CBS12 reported.
Deputies also connected Turnbull to a second encounter, in which someone was approached by a person claiming to represent their bank.
What happened next
Turnbull faced charges including scheme to defraud, grand theft, fraudulent use of a credit or debit card without consent involving someone 60 or older, fraudulent use of identification without consent, and felony use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, CBS12 reported.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office posted about the recovered cash on social media. “It’s not clear who the money was taken from, but for now, it’s accounted for and sealed in evidence,” the office wrote, NBC Miami reported.
The post added a dry note: “Keep in mind at some point the cash will be back in public circulation.”
CBS12 reported that the sheriff’s office confirmed the recovered cash was the same money taken from the senior.
Deputies urged residents not to hand cash, cards or valuables to unexpected visitors claiming to represent a bank or another organization. FOX News reported that the office also warned people not to let unannounced representatives into their homes.
Authorities said the investigation remained open.
Authorities have since added a charge of introducing contraband into a corrections facility, FOX 13 reported on October 15, 2026. Turnbull was being held on a $500,000 bond, and the charges are allegations. She is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
