USPS worker helped steal $250,000 using 50 stolen identities in Indiana, officials say

Two Indiana men, including a United States Postal Service worker, were sentenced in an identity theft and fraud scheme that stole a quarter of a million dollars from more than 50 people, prosecutors say.

The Indianapolis residents were sentenced to federal prison on charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and theft of stolen mail, according to an Aug. 9 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana. The 30-year-old USPS worker received 15 months, and his 31-year-old co-conspirator received 54 months with an additional charge of aggravated identity theft.

They were ordered to pay restitution of $244,222.93. Investigators say the scheme took place from at least January 2019 through December 2020, according to the news release.

Officials say the mail theft and fraud destabilizes the public’s trust in USPS.

“Fraud schemes using stolen mail cause significant hardship to innocent victims and undermine trust in a vital government service,” said United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers.

McClatchy News could not immediately reach lawyers for the two defendants.

The second man is accused of recruiting the postal worker to help with a scheme that would use his access to the mail to steal the identities of residents in Indianapolis and Fishers. They obtained victims’ sensitive information, prosecutors say, and could use that information to control bank accounts in their names.

After the postal worker gave him victims’ information, the co-conspirator called the banks and pretended to be the victims or their family members to request new debit or credit cards, prosecutors say. Then the two men stole the cards from the mail, according to the release.

The defendants “used the cards to withdraw cash and make personal purchases,” according to the news release. “They stole checks from the mail and deposited them into the bank accounts they controlled.”

Eventually victims began to realize what was happening. One person realized his mail was being stolen and installed security cameras, according to the criminal complaint filing for the defendant who received the heavier sentence.

Investigators said they observed a man driving a black BMW steal the victim’s mail. They said the same vehicle was caught on surveillance footage taken from times that fraudulent ATM deposits and withdrawals took place, according to court documents.

Fifth Third Bank found one phone number was connected with 21 individuals who had accounts created in their names or taken over, according to the criminal complaint. That phone number was traced back to the defendant who was later convicted on charges of identity theft, prosecutors say.

Then, during a traffic stop in September 2019, “officers found, among other things, false identification documents inside [the defendant’s] wallet, several credit cards in the names of others, and merchandise that was confirmed purchased with fraudulently obtained credit cards,” the criminal complaint says.

“These sentences represent our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to maintain the integrity and trust in the U.S. Mail,” said Scott Pierce, special agent in charge for the USPS Office of Inspector General’s Central Area Field Office. “The majority of postal employees are hard-working public servants dedicated to moving mail to its proper destination.”

This story was originally published August 11, 2023 at 2:06 PM with the headline "USPS worker helped steal $250,000 using 50 stolen identities in Indiana, officials say."