Wasilla man arrested on charges of fraud scheme totaling more than $482,000

PALMER — Charles Yingst, of Wasilla, was indicted on charges dating back to June of 2017 after being arrested on Jan 26.

Yingst’s first alleged victim contacted authorities in August of 2017. In January, the grand jury indictment was from 17 different victims of his alleged schemes to defraud. Since his arrest, 10 more have come forward. Twenty-seven total victims claim schemes to defraud totaling $482,000. The Alaska State Troopers Criminal Suppression Unit is asking other victims to contact (907) 745-2131 if they’ve been the victims of such fraud.

Yingst has been charged with similar theft and schemes to defraud before. In 2008 Yingst was charged with Theft 1 and Scheme to Defraud in Fairbanks. Yingst again was charged with Theft and Scheme to Defraud in Palmer in 2012.

According to Daron Cooper, the Criminal Suppression Unit trooper who took over the investigation in October of 2017, his schemes have a similar theme: promising the delivery of vehicles, sometimes smaller pieces of heavy equipment, engine repairs or replacements. Yingst will allegedly then collect cash or a cashier’s check claiming to have a source on the North Slope or an estate sale in the Lower 48. Once the date of the scheduled delivery arrives, there are no vehicles. Police say Yingst will then make excuses of vehicles lost in shipping or elsewhere. Yingst was recently working at Yukon Services, where he reportedly found many of his victims. Yukon Services specializes in service and repairs of commercial tractor trailers.

His next court appearance is set for March 19.