Student of ‘Freemen’ Told to End Lessons on Bogus Checks

Calling her activities seriously illegal, a federal judge on Thursday ordered a Palmdale student of the Montana Freemen not to promote use of bogus checks at the seminars she holds for thousands of students in the high desert.

Federal officials say they have received more than $30 million worth of the checks signed by M. Elizabeth Broderick, who claims to be a “private bank” that can issue “warrants” backed by liens she has filed against the government.

Most of these warrants are not accepted by financial institutions, but that has not stopped Broderick’s disciples from using them to rent a Canyon Country house, pay hospital bills and buy eight new Cadillacs.

Broderick was not in court Thursday, but filed papers contending that the U.S. attorney’s request for the temporary restraining order against her is “a fraud.”

Judge William Keller warned friends of Broderick in the audience that he considers the matter “very serious.”

“There is no legal authority for what they’re doing here,” Keller said, adding that Broderick could be liable to charges of bank and mail fraud. “The conduct as described on the part of the defendants is totally unacceptable.”