Stamford Man Charged In Scheme Involving Stolen U.S. Treasury Checks: Officials

STAMFORD, CT — A Stamford man has been charged by a federal criminal complaint with offenses stemming from his role in a conspiracy involving the "theft, altering, and negotiating" of U.S. Treasury checks stolen from the U.S. Mail, according to an announcement from United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut David X. Sullivan.

Bradleigh Rival, 23, was charged by federal criminal complaint following his arrest on Sept. 16. He was charged with bank fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of 30 years in prison; theft or possession of stolen mail, which carries a maximum term of five years in prison; and aggravated identity theft, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of two years.

As cited in court documents, in 2024, the Connecticut Organized Financial Fraud Task Force began an investigation after learning that several Social Security checks issued to residents in Connecticut and New York had been stolen from the mail, Sullivan said.

The investigation found that more than 100 stolen U.S. Treasury checks valued at several hundred thousand dollars had been deposited into the bank account of one person, Sullivan noted.

Rival had exchanged Apple Cash payments with the bank account holder and was identified as a participant in a conspiracy to acquire checks stolen from the mail, "wash" or alter the named payee on the checks, deposit them into bank accounts of individuals they recruited, and withdraw the stolen funds at ATMs, through mobile apps, by making purchases at stores with cash back capabilities, or by using debit cards to purchase U.S. Postal Service money orders, Sullivan explained.

An analysis of Rival’s social media accounts included numerous photos of Rival in possession of large amounts of cash stolen during the scheme, Sullivan said.

Rival is currently released on a $200,000 bond.