A New Jersey man was arrested after Milford, Massachusetts, police said a check worth more than $30,000 was stolen from the mail, altered, and cashed at a bank in New Jersey.
The suspect was identified as Lamin Conteh, 27, of Asbury Park, New Jersey, according to the Milford Police Department.
Police said Conteh was arrested July 1 in Manalapan, New Jersey, by the Manalapan Police Department on a Fugitive from Justice warrant connected to the Milford investigation.
The case began Feb. 2, when Milford police responded to Countryside Healthcare at 1 Countryside Drive to investigate the suspected larceny and forgery of a check in the amount of $30,104.30.
The Check Was Allegedly Intercepted in the Mail
Milford police said investigators determined the check had been intercepted in the mail before it reached its intended destination. The check was then fraudulently altered by changing the “pay to the order of” recipient, according to the department.
Police said the forged check was cashed on Feb. 5 at a JPMorgan Chase Bank branch in Piscataway, New Jersey.
Search Warrants Led Detectives to Conteh
Members of the Milford Police Detective Bureau investigated the case for several weeks after the check was cashed.
Detectives obtained multiple search warrants during the investigation. Police said those warrants ultimately led them to identify Conteh as the suspect.
The department did not release additional details about how the check was intercepted, who originally received the altered payment, or whether any other people are being investigated.
Conteh Is Awaiting Extradition to Massachusetts
Conteh is awaiting extradition to Massachusetts on larceny and forgery charges, according to Milford police.
Milford Police Chief Robert Tusino credited the department’s detectives for their work and said financial crimes are among the most complex cases to resolve.
The public release did not state whether Conteh had entered a plea or whether an attorney had commented on his behalf.
Businesses Can Catch Check Fraud Before the Trail Goes Cold
A mailed check that does not clear when expected should be checked quickly against bank records, vendor records, and the intended recipient. If the check cleared, the bank image should be reviewed for the payee name, endorsement, amount, deposit date, and bank where it was negotiated.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service accepts reports of mail theft and mail-related check fraud. Businesses can also report the altered check to their bank, request copies of the front and back of the negotiated check, and ask whether the funds can be traced or recovered.