D.C. Postal Worker Accused of Stealing Checks Totaling $1.7 Million from Mail

A U.S. Postal Service employee in Washington, D.C., has come under federal scrutiny for allegedly pilfering checks from mail, amounting to nearly $1.7 million, as per federal court filings.

Having begun his tenure at the Friendship Heights Post Office in 2020, the carrier was subsequently assigned to serve the upscale Wesley Heights district. Investigators claim that, over the years, he cunningly modified about 100 U.S. Treasury checks he pocketed, incorporating his personal details and channeling them into his own bank accounts.

The plot unraveled this January when a local resident alerted authorities about a missing tax refund. A breakthrough came when officials recognized signatures on the illicit checks, linking them to holiday cards the carrier had distributed to homes on his delivery route the previous month.

Former Post Office Manager Sentenced to Over Three Years in Federal Prison for Mail Theft and Bank Fraud Conspiracy.

Lancaster stole approx. $1.7 million in checks from 50+ local businesses, including a non-profit dedicated to cancer research.

READ: https://t.co/39wBUZp2fw pic.twitter.com/5HBcqkijjH

— SDINnews (@SDINnews) August 23, 2023

A subsequent search of the carrier’s residence unveiled a bank receipt related to one of the embezzled checks, which had a value exceeding $400,000. Federal court documents further highlighted ATM footage capturing the mailman, clad in his USPS attire, engaging in financial transactions.

Federal officials are currently petitioning a judge to reclaim the misappropriated funds. While the U.S. attorney’s office remains tight-lipped, the U.S. Postal Service Inspector General has verified that a probe into the mailman’s actions is in progress. Official records indicate his employment was suspended without remuneration on March 29.

Reacting to the developments, a USPS spokesperson told News4, “While the employee is still technically a part of the USPS, we are bound by our policies and the Privacy Act, hence we cannot divulge any further information at this juncture.