Feds: USPS carriers stole nearly $24M in checks, shipped them through FedEx

According to reporting from FreightWaves, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Texas have charged five individuals in connection with a large-scale mail theft operation. Three of the accused were employees of the U.S. Postal Service who allegedly intercepted checks from their Houston delivery routes. Authorities claim the group targeted financial instruments totaling nearly $24 million between October 2022 and September 2024.

The indictment describes a system where the stolen mail was marketed to buyers through an encrypted Telegram channel named "slipsandchips." Once sold, the physical checks were reportedly transported to various locations across the country using FedEx. The legal filings specify that while the private courier was used to move the illicit materials, the shipping company is not accused of any wrongdoing in the matter.

All five defendants are facing charges of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The postal carriers involved face additional counts related to the theft of mail by a government employee. One specific instance highlighted by prosecutors involved the theft of a single bank check valued at over $1.5 million. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.