Try again with a wire transfer. Avoid checks.

Have you ever read the actual text of a check? I don't remember the exactg words, but it means more or less the following:

To: Bank
Please debit my account with yourselves the amount of yyyy dollars and pay to Mr. xxx or the person he designates.

Essentially, the problem is that the check is only an instruction for the bank to pay someone - but it is NOT the actual payment.

A cashiers check is a check issued by the bank instructing itself to pay someone an amount. It is safer, but again, it is an instruction to pay - not the payment.

A wire transfer is the payment in itself and almost as good as cash. Note: almost.