U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said:\u00a0\u201cAs alleged, Micheal Pena and his co-defendants orchestrated a massive, multimillion-dollar scheme to steal innocent victims\u2019 money.\u00a0 The defendants obtained real checks, including from the mail, forged the checks, falsified identities, sold the checks to others, and took advantage of multiple financial institutions.\u00a0 The defendants\u2019 fraudulent scheme affected real people and the millions of Americans who rely on the United States banking system and the United States mail.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n USPIS Acting Inspector in Charge Edward Gallashaw said: \u201cThese individuals allegedly devised a scheme to steal checks from the U.S. Mail and then, in some cases, sell the personal identifiable information on these stolen checks via an encrypted messaging platform to colluding individuals. They furthered their scheme by altering the payee and amount originally written on these checks, stealing from the unsuspecting public. Let today\u2019s arrest serve as an example for those trying to make quick money while financially preying on the American public, Postal Inspectors will put an end to your criminal enterprise. We will vigorously pursue you and bring you to justice for your illegal acts against our customers and the Postal Service. We are thankful for the United States Attorney\u2019s Office for the Southern District of New York for their dedication on this case.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]<\/sup><\/p>\n From at least in or about April 2023 up to and including at least in or about October 2024, PENA, DELAHOZ, GUTIERREZ, and DORSEY carried out a national scheme to sell more than $53 million in stolen checks and fraudulently alter stolen checks that they then deposited at various financial institutions.\u00a0 As part of that scheme, PENA operated and used a channel on a particular messaging platform, which went by the moniker \u201cWhite House Vibez\u201d and had thousands of subscribers, to sell checks that had been stolen from the U.S. Postal Service.\u00a0Below is an image that was posted on White House Vibez on or about February 19, 2024, depicting what appears to be numerous pieces of stolen mail and checks and advertising a forthcoming batch of checks for sale.<\/p>\n Purchasers of checks were directed to send payments to several accounts on a popular mobile payment platform, at least two of which were set up by GUTIERREZ and DELAHOZ using false identification.\u00a0Along with the stolen checks, purchasers were also sometimes offered personal identifying information of the victim-payors of the stolen checks.\u00a0 As an example, below is a check posted for sale, and listed as sold, on White House Vibez, along with an offer to sell the social security number and date of birth of the victim-payor.<\/p>\n Additionally, during this period, PENA, DELAHOZ, GUTIERREZ, and DORSEY deposited hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen checks at various financial institutions, including checks that had been previously posted for sale on White House Vibez.\u00a0 Before such checks were deposited, they were \u201cwashed,\u201d which is a process by which the payee\u2019s information and amount on the check are removed and rewritten to reflect another payee\u2019s identity and amount.\u00a0The defendants flaunted their success on White House Vibez, posting images of check deposit receipts and large cash withdrawals.<\/p>\n PENA, 26, formerly of Woodridge, New Jersey; DELAHOZ, 46, of Bronx, New York; GUTIERREZ, 30, of New York, New York; and DORSEY, 28, of New York, New York, are each charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison.<\/p>\n The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.<\/p>\n Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the USPIS.<\/p>\n This case is being handled by the Office\u2019s General Crimes Unit.\u00a0 Assistant U.S. Attorney Varun A. Gumaste is in charge of the prosecution.<\/p>\n The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.<\/p>\n
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