A 31-year-old man who was the subject of an intense search after his car was found down a Makapu'u cliffside in March was charged yesterday with forgery, theft and money laundering.

Kenneth J. Peters Jr. was charged in a criminal complaint with 13 counts of second-degree forgery and one count each of first-degree theft and money laundering. Peters is accused of forging more than $57,000 worth of checks from the account of Studio Becker Island Interiors, where he worked as a bookkeeper.

The checks were made payable to himself, a "Ken Quest" and "RTW Corp.," the complaint said. The court document did not elaborate on Peters' relationship with Ken Quest or RTW Corp.

The charges were the latest legal setback for Peters, who in March was missing for three days after his 2005 Mercedes-Benz was found abandoned down a Makapu'u cliff. At the time, police speculated that he had faked his own disappearance because he was under criminal investigation.

Peters was found three days later at the Honolulu airport on his way back from Thailand.

In July, Peters pleaded not guilty to forging more than $40,000 worth of checks. The checks were from accounts of Flight School Hawai'i Inc. and AirFrame & PowerPlant Service Inc., prosecutors said. Trial in this case is set for Dec. 15. Peters remains free on $11,000 bail.

Last month, Peters' former employer, Flight School Hawai'i, accused Peters of stealing more than $50,000 from the company. Flight School Hawai'i filed a Circuit Court lawsuit to recover the money, as well as an undetermined amount in damages.

From September 2002 to January 2004, Peters worked as the comptroller for the firm and officials said he falsified company checks and used a company credit card for his own benefit.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.