A federal grand jury in Bridgeport has indicted three Connecticut residents on charges related to a check fraud scheme. The indictment, announced by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division, alleges that Michelle Freeman (also known as “Thunder”), 37, of Waterbury; Leshanda Long, 43, of Hamden; and Omar Eaddy, 40, of Bridgeport participated in a plan involving stolen checks and bank fraud.
According to the indictment and court documents, the three are accused of stealing checks from mailboxes and altering them so they could be cashed by individuals acting as “check runners.” These runners would then provide the cash to the conspirators. Authorities allege that Freeman led the operation and was responsible for counterfeiting checks primarily drawn from small business accounts in Connecticut. Long and Eaddy are alleged to have recruited individuals to cash these fraudulent checks at banks and check-cashing locations.
The indictment was returned on August 20, 2025. All three defendants face one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. If convicted, they each face a maximum prison term of 30 years.
Freeman, Long, and Eaddy were arrested on criminal complaints on May 6, 2025. They have been released on $100,000 bond each and are scheduled for arraignment on August 26.
“An indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” said U.S. Attorney Sullivan.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Connecticut Organized Financial Fraud Task Force with support from several local police departments including Milford, Westport, Fairfield, West Haven, Stamford, West Hartford, and Bridgeport. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Boyles is prosecuting the case.
