Stamford Handyman Accused of Forging Checks of Deceased Woman

A Stamford handyman who worked for a Greenwich woman is facing larceny and forgery charges in connection with the theft and cashing of checks belonging to the woman’s daughter who passed away nearly two decades ago.

The suspect “worked as a handyman at a local residence and accessed a room in the residence and stole some checks from a person who passed away,” said Greenwich Police spokesman Lt. Kraig Gray. According to Gray, the checks belonged to the daughter of the resident. The mother contacted police in June after discovering that several checks, belonging to her daughter, who passed away 18 years ago, had been cashed at Check Cashing Plus at 6 N. Water St. in Greenwich, Gray said.

Gray said that the mother and her late daughter, had “ver similar names, shared a joint bank account.”

After an investigation, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Arnulfo Maradiaga, 37, of 511 Fairfield Ave., Stamford, charging him with two counts of second-degree forgery, and one count each of fifth-degree larceny and sixth-degree larceny. Maradiaga surrendered at Greenwich Police headquarters about 4:30 p.m. Aug. 15.

The check forgeries Maradiaga is charged with total about $1,000, according to Gray.

Maradiaga was held in lieu of $5,000 bond and issued an Aug. 22 date to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford.

Photo: Arnulfo Maradiaga. Courtesy of Greenwich Police.