According to the Department of Justice, three U.S. postal workers in New York and New Jersey have been arrested for allegedly stealing credit cards from the mail in a conspiracy to buy luxury items to sell online. The DOJ announced the arrests of three postal workers, and a fourth person, in connection with a 4-year, $1.3 million fraud and identity theft scheme. U.S. postal workers Nathanael Foucault, Johnathan Persaud, Fabiola Mompoint and civilian Devon Richards — in addition to five other people who have not been arrested — face charges that include Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud, Access Device Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft charges. Each face lengthy prison sentences if convicted.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement: “As alleged, the defendants engaged in a years-long scheme to manipulate credit card companies and major retailers across New York and New Jersey by stealing credit cards and using those cards to purchase, and subsequently sell, luxury goods. The defendants took advantage of the public trust we place in U.S. Postal Service employees for their own financial gain.”
U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector-in-Charge Daniel Brubaker said in a statement: “These nine defendants, three of which are postal employees, sought to enrich themselves by stealing mail directly from hundreds of postal customers They further compounded their crimes by committing identity theft against those customers to facilitate their elaborate scheme to defraud several national financial institutions.”
The DOJ said the defendants stole credit cards from the mail and activated the cards using stolen personally identifiable information. Other members of the conspiracy used the stolen cards to purchase luxury goods from high-end retailers, such as Chanel, Fendi, Hermes and Dior, and sold them on the website LuxurySnob.com. which calls itself an “online consignment and personal shopping company” specializing in pre-owned luxury items,” but actually sells many items purchased using stolen credit cards.
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