The involvement of a postal employee could explain how the ring got access to hundreds of personal and business checks that victims reported as being stolen from the mail. When USPS OIG special agents joined the investigation, they identified a mail handler at a large postal facility in Capitol Heights as the likely supplier of stolen mail. 

The fraudster heading the scheme was allegedly running a complex operation: On one hand, she acted as a broker selling stolen checks to other fraud rings around the country. But she also negotiated some of the stolen checks through her own theft ring, which included her sister and other co-conspirators who acted as “mules” depositing, transferring, and withdrawing funds from various bank accounts. 

As local police and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service pursued their leads, OIG special agents uncovered hundreds of stolen checks the postal employee sold to the ringleader, whom investigators later found had also stolen checks directly from blue collection boxes. The conspiracy wound up victimizing over 900 people and businesses across the country. Had banks not flagged and stopped many of the fraudulent transactions, the total losses would have surpassed $5 million. 

When law enforcement executed a search warrant at the ringleader’s home, they found the loot the fraud was funding — nearly $25,000 worth of high-end jewelry, a luxury sports car valued at almost $115,000, and over a dozen designer handbags, one of which had over 150 stolen checks inside worth more than $610,000. 

Investigators arrested and charged the ringleader, her sister, the mail handler, and two other accomplices. After the five pleaded guilty, the ringleader was sentenced to over nine years in federal prison, the mail handler was sentenced to almost three years’ imprisonment, and the other three were given a combined eight years’ jail time. The five were also ordered to pay victims back a combined almost $490,000. 

If you suspect or know of mail theft involving Postal Service employees or contractors, please report it to our Hotline. Your tip could be eligible for the OIG’s Reward for Information Program. 

Several individuals were on investigators’ radar, including a man suspected of heading the operation. And the damages? Substantial: hundreds of stolen checks and debit cards with losses in the millions.

When investigators suspected postal employees were also complicit, they contacted our Office of Investigations. Our special agents quickly identified two carrier technicians who worked at a post office — the financial instruments’ last stop before they disappeared from the mailstream. They also identified another suspect: a woman who took her husband’s place in the scheme after he passed away. Finally, our special agents expanded the investigation by calling on their partners at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

During an interview with our special agents, one employee said he had been approached several years back by the ringleader, who proposed stealing mail in exchange for cash. The employee began stealing pandemic relief checks not only from the mail on his delivery route, but also from other sources within the postal system that wouldn’t arouse much suspicion. The other employee’s story was similar, and both had been stealing checks for about four years before investigators caught up with them.

The OIG and USPIS executed simultaneous federal search warrants on the employees’ homes, vehicles, and electronic devices. Investigators found evidence of illicit transactions with other accomplices, including an image of a deposit receipt for a single U.S. Treasury check totaling more than $7.3 million.

All four suspects were arrested and criminally charged, and the two employees were each sentenced to five and a half years in prison. The court also ordered each of them to return over $1.6 million to their victims. The ringleader and his female accomplice are scheduled to be sentenced later this year.

If you suspect or know of mail theft involving Postal Service employees or contractors, please report it to our Hotline.

Matthew Unglesbee, 36, of Quincy was taken into custody based on a federal criminal complaint charging him with violations of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1038 (False Information and Hoaxes), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 876 (Mailing Threatening Communications). United States Magistrate Judge Douglas J. Quivey held an initial appearance on October 26, 2026, and scheduled a detention hearing for October 28, 2026, at 3 p.m. at the federal courthouse in Springfield, Illinois.

The complaint, which was unsealed on October 26, 2026, alleges that Unglesbee was involved in mailing letters containing unknown substances to congressional offices. Because the arrest is based on a complaint, further specific details regarding the underlying allegations are limited at this time. A criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

“The use of the mail to threaten others, including the mailing of threatening substances, will not be tolerated. These threats will be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. My office appreciates the resources dedicated by the FBI and our law enforcement partners to keep our citizens safe,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore.

“Safeguarding the democratic processes that serve Central and Southern Illinois requires a constant focus on keeping our public institutions safe from intimidation,” said Ryan Presley, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Springfield Field Office. “Mailing unknown substances to congressional offices creates fear and disrupts the public institutions vital to our democracy. We, along with our partners, will remain vigilant in identifying and holding accountable those whose actions threaten to intimidate public officials or disrupt our democratic systems.”

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Springfield Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois. Assistance in this investigation was provided by the FBI Chicago Field Office, United States Postal Inspection Service, Quincy Police Department, and Task Force Officers from the Illinois State Police, Illinois Secretary of State Police, Springfield Police Department, and the Amtrak Police Department’s Chicago Office.

DALLAS — 10/23/26 – United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment Oct. 7 charging Dr. Javaria Jabeen and Allendor Kenyon Brown with participating in a years?long scheme to defraud the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act program of approximately $19 million in fraudulent medical claims.

In connection with the July 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, prosecutors in the Northern District of Texas charged Demitrious Gilmore with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. His indictment referenced two unindicted coconspirators: a physician and a former U.S. Postal Service employee and union official. Gilmore later pleaded guilty. This superseding indictment now charges those previously unidentified individuals — physician Javaria Jabeen and postal employee Allendor Kenyon Brown — with conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

“Those who exploit federal programs designed to protect injured workers undermine both the integrity of our system and the trust of the public,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “As alleged, these defendants orchestrated a years?long scheme that siphoned millions of dollars from a program meant to help dedicated federal employees recover from on?the?job injuries. Anyone who attempts to enrich themselves at the expense of hard-working American taxpayers will not escape justice in the Northern District of Texas.

“This indictment alleges a calculated, years-long conspiracy to conceal payments and to steal millions of dollars in taxpayer funds through fabricated medical claims for unnecessary services that were not performed. Every dollar lost to healthcare fraud threatens the system designed to protect injured federal workers,” said U.S. Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito. “The Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General will not tolerate this theft. We remain committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively combat these criminal enterprises and hold accountable those who seek to enrich themselves through fraud.”

“These charges are a reminder that some in the healthcare industry continue to place greed over patient care,” said US Postal Service Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich. “The investigative and legal teams tirelessly working these cases will ensure that the individuals who knowingly engage in these schemes will be held accountable for their actions.”

According to the indictment, from 2017 to 2023, the defendants engaged in a scheme to submit false and fraudulent claims to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP). FECA provides medical and wage benefits to federal employees injured on the job.

Dr. Javaria Jabeen, a licensed Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, owned and operated multiple clinics in Flower Mound and Grand Prairie, Texas. The indictment alleges that Dr. Jabeen, along with chiropractor Demitrious Gilmore and with assistance from Allendor Kenyon Brown, billed FECA for medical equipment and services that were ineligible for reimbursement, medically unnecessary or never provided. These included:

• Expensive knee braces that claimants did not need or receive
• Physical therapy sessions that did not occur
• Platelet?rich plasma (PRP) infusions and at?home ultrasonic devices allegedly never performed or provided

Brown, a retired U.S. Postal Service employee and former union official, is accused of recruiting federal employees to the clinics and assisting in efforts to secure FECA claim approvals. The indictment alleges that Brown was compensated through an entity registered in his control to conceal the payments.

In total, the conspirators submitted roughly $19 million in fraudulent claims, resulting in at least $17 million in payments from the FECA program. The indictment alleges that the defendants and their coconspirators each received a share of the proceeds.

Jabeen and Brown were both arrested and had their initial appearances on Oct. 14. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.

The U.S Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Brasher from the Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

BETHESDA, MD — 10/6/26 – Today the U.S. Postal Service issued a semipostal stamp, Know the Facts About Fentanyl, at a ceremony held at the National Institutes of Health.

The stamp will raise funds to advance research and raise awareness to combat this ongoing epidemic while providing a message encouraging hope, healing and recovery.

The stamp was dedicated by Peter Pastre, USPS government relations and public policy vice president.

“Fentanyl contributes to some 80,000 overdose deaths each year, with devasting impacts to families and communities across the nation,” he said. “This semipostal stamp is priced higher than the standard 1-ounce letter rate to help raise money for causes in the national interest. The net proceeds from this stamp will be distributed to the National Institute on Drug Abuse —the world’s largest provider of research into substance abuse, addiction treatment, and recovery support.”

Pastre was joined by Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health.

“Fentanyl represents one of the most urgent public health challenges of our time, and confronting it requires the full weight of scientific inquiry, innovation and national resolve,” he said. “At NIH, we are committed to funding the rigorous research needed to understand addiction, develop new treatments and save lives. This stamp is a uniquely meaningful way to remind every American that this fight belongs to all of us, and that science offers real hope for the future.”

Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, also spoke at the dedication.

“Addiction research has shown that recovery is sustained through meaningful interpersonal connections — the support of families, friends and peers in recovery. It is fitting to convey that message through a postage stamp, because stamps travel and connect one person to another. This stamp will travel through homes, workplaces and communities across the country, carrying a reminder that community matters, treatment works, recovery is possible, and nobody has to confront addiction by themselves,”  she said.

Most of the approximately 80,000 annual overdose deaths in the United States involve fentanyl and other extremely potent synthetic opioids. In 2023, the U.S. saw a reduction in drug overdose deaths for the first time in years. Data released in 2024 showed deaths involving fentanyl declined at a historic rate, down more than 30 percent over the previous year. Sustained research to prevent and treat addiction, deploy overdose interventions, and sustain recovery is critical to build on current progress.

When working on the stamp design, Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, said he wanted to convey the idea of supporting people while avoiding imagery of pills, which could be triggering to those recovering from misuse.

He reached out to illustrator Whitney Sherman, who created the art for the wildly successful Breast Cancer Research Semipostal.

The art focuses on a person in the center of the stamp surrounded by a diverse group of supporters. This emphasizes how fentanyl can affect one person yet also has an impact on the community. The group shows care and comfort to the central figure, reflecting their love and support. The central figure accepts their support without shame or embarrassment.

“The word ‘hope’ was dominant in my mind as it presents possibilities and positive outcomes,” Sherman said. “If you look at each person, they have an intention. They come from various places in the figure’s life. They are expressing care with their eyes and hand gestures. Some are looking at us, suggesting an invitation to also be caring, some are showing their commitment to the central figure that a family member or close friend may give, others offer a sympathetic glance.”

While Alcalá said working on any stamp is meaningful, this one is a little more special.

Know the Facts About Fentanyl is a semipostal stamp. The price of a semipostal stamp pays for the First-Class single-piece postage rate in effect at the time of purchase plus an amount to fund causes that have been determined to be in the national public interest. By law, revenue from sales (minus postage and the reasonable reimbursement of costs to the Postal Service) is to be transferred to a selected executive agency or agencies. Net proceeds from this stamp will be distributed to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

News of the Know the Facts About Fentanyl semipostal stamp is being shared with the hashtag #FentanylSemipostalStamp.

Postal Products
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional information on stamps, first-day-of-issue ceremonies and stamp-inspired products can be found at stampsforever.com.

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Jamie Orlando Sosa Sardina, 60, a Cuban national, Martha Haydee Desantis, 81, an Ecuadorian national, and Lise Marie Johnson, 69, a Canadian national, have each been charged by indictment with making a false statement claiming United States’ citizenship to vote and illegal voting by an alien. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison on the false statement charge and up to one year imprisonment for the illegal voting offense. According to the indictments, Sardina registered to vote in 2022 and voted in the 2022 and 2024 federal general elections; Desantis re-registered to vote in 2024 and voted in the 2022 and 2024 federal general elections; and Johnson registered to vote in 2021 and voted in the 2022 federal general election. All voted despite knowing that they were not citizens of the United States.

Luis Manuel Perez, 72, a Cuban national, Diane Wendy Curley, 55, a Canadian national, and Pedro Igor A. Franco, 37, a Brazilian national, all lawful permanent residents, were charged by information with illegal voting by an alien. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of up to one year in federal prison. According to the informations, Perez and Curley voted in the 2022 and 2024 federal general elections; Franco voted in the 2024 federal general election.

Indictments and informations are merely formal charging documents alleging that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until proven guilty.

These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of State – Office of Election Crimes, and the Hernando County Supervisor of Elections. They are being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jerry M. Harre.

The United States Postal Inspection Service® is the federal law enforcement organization assigned to protect the mail, including ballots mailed to and from voters domestically and abroad. This important work is overseen by Postal Inspectors, who are sworn federal agents, specially chosen and trained to ensure laws are enforced, crimes are prevented, and the nation’s Election Mail is securely delivered.

ELECTION MAIL RESOURCES:

• Election Mail Handling Procedures
• Securing Election Mail: An Overview for the Election Community
• Election Mail Security Poster

REPORT ELECTION MAIL ISSUES

On October 22, 2026, Aubrey Dante (age 54) was charged with six counts of larceny of a firearm, four counts of possession of a stolen firearm, five counts of carrying a dangerous weapon while committing a crime of violence, three counts of larceny of over $1,500, five counts of possession with intent to deliver over one kilogram of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to deliver over five kilograms of marijuana, one count of possession with intent to deliver over one kilogram of heroin, and one count of maintaining controlled substances.

Judge Stephen M. Isherwood ordered the defendant be held without bail and scheduled a status conference for October 29, 2026.

“Our Urban Violent Crime Task Force continues to deliver real results and keeps Rhode Islanders safe from those who wish to obtain firearms illegally,” said Attorney General Neronha. “As alleged, this defendant used his position within the USPS to intercept packages containing weapons and created a stockpile of guns and drugs in his home. And because of our team’s quick action, that’s as far as he got. I want to thank our partners at the Providence Police Department, the USPS Office of the Inspector General, ATF, and members of the Urban Violence Crime Task Force for their partnership.”

As alleged in the criminal information, between April and September 2026, the Providence Police Department, the United State Postal Service Office of the Inspector General, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Attorney General’s Urban Violent Crime Task Force launched an investigation after multiple USPS parcels were reported stolen, with contents that included firearms, coins, trading cards, and assorted jewelry. As alleged, investigators used surveillance, parcel scans, and various other investigative methods to identify the defendant as a suspect. As further alleged, investigators observed the defendant on several occasions opening USPS packages and removing their contents while acting in his official capacity as a postal employee at the Providence Processing and Distribution Center on Corliss Street.

As alleged, on October 21, 2026, officers executed search warrants and apprehended the defendant outside his Snake Hill Road residence. Investigators seized several stolen firearms, approximately 35.9 kg of marijuana, in addition to other firearms, drugs, and drug paraphernalia.

As further alleged, investigators seized eight firearms including three stolen Sig Sauer P226 9mm pistols, one CZ 75 compact 9mm pistol, one North American Firearms .22 magnum revolver, one Smith & Wesson, CTG, .22 caliber revolver, one Smith & Wesson, 38 special, .38 caliber revolver, and one Browning, Invector BPS Special Steel, 12-gauge shotgun. Additionally, investigators seized large quantities of various narcotics including a brick of cocaine (1115.8g), a plastic bag of cocaine (40.63g), a plastic bag of methamphetamine pills (1509.49g), another bag of methamphetamine pills (16.49g), three bags of crystal methamphetamine (119.67g), large bins containing multiple packages of bulk marijuana (79.2 lbs), Psilocybin mushrooms (2.6 lbs.), a bag of Xanax pills (22.28g), and another bag of Xanax pills (35.86g).

“The men and women of the Providence Police Department remain committed in their continued efforts to prevent violent crime, particularly those involving a firearm, within our community,” said Providence Police Colonel Oscar Perez. “Through the partnership between the Providence Police Department and the Office of the Attorney General’s Urban Violent Crime Task Force, police were able to swiftly execute this complex investigation, and I praise the efforts of all those involved.”

“The alleged theft of firearms from the mail by a Postal Service employee represents a serious breach of public trust and raises significant public safety concerns,” said Matthew M. Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Area Field Office of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “We remain committed to investigating this type of misconduct and appreciate the strong partnership with the Providence Police Department, Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, and ATF throughout this investigation.”

“The theft of firearms while in transit through the mail will not go unnoticed or unanswered,” said Thomas A. Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “ATF is committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to prevent any attempt to divert the authorized shipment of firearms from lawful commerce into the wrong hands.”

Urban Violent Crime Initiative

The case was investigated under the Urban Violent Crime Task Force, an initiative that began in 2021, by the Office of the Attorney General; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls Police Departments; and the Department of Corrections to proactively target violent crime and firearms trafficking in the greater Providence Area.

The Attorney General has deputized officers from law enforcement agencies in Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls to provide greater ability to investigate suspects across municipal jurisdictions. As part of this initiative, prosecutors, investigators, and analysts work together to gather data and intelligence, analyze the information to support investigations and prosecutions, and guide violent crime enforcement priorities. The partner agencies have prioritized information sharing and analysis across agencies through the use of a data analyst and platform – funded through a Department of Justice grant awarded to the Office of the Attorney General in 2020.

In 2023, the Office of the Attorney General purchased a National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) machine, using asset forfeiture funds, that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms.

Using these tools, the team can quickly draw connections between different crime scenes and weave together police reports and other records to help identify suspects and witnesses.

According to court documents, on Sept. 5, 2025, Dason Antonio Robinson, 28, of Bowie, and an unidentified co-conspirator traveled from Maryland to Alexandria and located a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier who was engaged in her regular duties of delivering mail. Robinson and his co-conspirator approached the mail carrier with their hands in their waistbands to appear to be carrying firearms. The robbers forcefully grabbed at the mail carrier’s letter satchel while it was slung across her body and also grabbed at her clothing, a personal bag secured by a chain, and her necklace, causing the chain on her personal bag and necklace to break.

Robinson and his co-conspirator obtained the letter satchel, mail inside the satchel, a USPS scanner, and USPS vehicle keys, as well as the carrier’s CashApp card, driver’s license, and cellphone.

Following the robbery, Robinson and his co-conspirator fled in their vehicle. On Oct. 2, 2025, U.S. Postal Inspectors seized the vehicle in Bowie. Agents recovered stolen mail from the letter satchel and the mail carrier’s CashApp card and driver’s license.

Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Pascua and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allie M. McKnight prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-37.

USPS 10/22/26 – The Postal Service is reminding employees that they cannot perform work for an outside business or engage in gambling when they are on the clock.

Supervisors also cannot ask or order subordinates to use their official time to work on non-USPS matters. For example, employees cannot ask subordinates to pick up their dry cleaning.

A limited amount of official time may be used for performing personal tasks if doing so does not interfere with USPS operations or violate the organization’s ethics rules or policies. For example, an employee can call a doctor’s office to make an appointment while on duty but cannot hold a two-hour phone call with a friend.

Employees are also prohibited from such things as filming influencer videos to be used on their social media pages.

Employees with questions can email the USPS Ethics Office or call 202-268-6346.

More information and resources are available on the Misuse of Time section of the Ethics page on Blue.