Two Georgians have been arrested in Louisiana on accusations of bank fraud, forgery, and theft that started in December 2024. Anthony Hardy and Lequita Johnson, both from Decatur, Georgia, were under investigation after stolen checks were reported to the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office (CPSO).
According to the CPSO, victims had been leaving checks in their mailboxes to pay bills, only to find the checks had been stolen. The perpetrators altered the payee information and payment amounts before cashing the checks.
As the investigation progressed, it was revealed that Hardy and Johnson had been exploiting homeless individuals in the area. They used them to cash the altered checks at various banks in Lake Charles and Sulphur, Louisiana.
The investigation, a joint effort between CPSO, Lake Charles, and Sulphur police departments, uncovered that a white Toyota Camry, rented by Johnson, had been seen on surveillance footage stealing checks from mailboxes. On January 7, 2025, the Lake Charles Police Department stopped Hardy and Johnson in the Camry. Both were arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center.
The suspects have been charged with forgery, bank fraud, and theft, with $105,000 bonds. The investigation continues, with more arrests expected as detectives uncover over 20 related cases.
