Serial Check Thief Stole From West Hartford Residents: Feds

HARTFORD, CT — A Hartford man with a long criminal history faces up to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to bank fraud and identity theft charges stemming from a mail theft and check-cashing scheme, according to authorities. Edward Williams, 58, or his co-conspirators, had successfully cashed more than $33,000 in fraudulently obtained checks, authorities said. A Windsor resident and several West Hartford residents were among the victims of the scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Williams stole checks in a variety of ways and altered or filled out the checks to make them payable to him, his co-conspirators, or stolen identities that he has used.

“The victims of this scheme include a Windsor resident who had written a check payable to American Express, mailed the check with his American Express bill, and later discovered that the check had been altered and cashed for $985.30,” according to a press release from the U.S. States Attorney’s Office. “A West Hartford couple who had left a holiday card containing a $15 check for their newspaper delivery person outside of their mailbox, and later discovered it had been altered and cashed for $870; a West Hartford resident who learned that she had a box of checks she ordered stolen after Williams attempted to cash one of the checks for $400; and an individual who had personal checks stolen from a book he kept at his business, and was subsequently informed that Williams had deposited four of the checks totaling more than $5,000 into a bank account Williams had opened.”

In total, between August 2016 and June 2017, Williams, or his co-conspirators, successfully cashed $33,756.07 in fraudulently obtained checks, according to authorities. He, or others working with him, also attempted to cash $16,068.96 in fraudulently obtained checks.

Williams pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of aggravated identity theft, and offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of two years. A sentencing date hasn’t been scheduled.

Williams has been detained since his arrest on Oct. 18, 2017.

Williams’ criminal history includes numerous convictions, including convictions for forgery, larceny and burglary offenses, authorities said.

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