DOJ Charges Six Individuals for Allegedly Stealing ‘Millions of Dollars’ Worth of Checks From the Mail

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is charging a group of individuals who allegedly stole millions of dollars worth of checks from the Postal Service.

In a new press release , the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York says it is charging six people – Michael Edwards, Shakeemo Hill, William Hill, Alixandria Lauture, Shuron Malone and Carlos Mercado – in connection with a multi-million-dollar check and bank fraud crew that operated between January 2022 and July 2024.

Authorities allege that they operated a sophisticated scheme that involved buying or obtaining keys to unlock Postal Service collection boxes in an effort to steal mail, bank cards and other bank account details.

The group and their coconspirators would subsequently change the details of the checks by using digital means to alter the details and printing them on check stock or by using chemicals to remove the original ink.

The group’s leader, Edwards, mostly planned out how to obtain the postal keys, while William Hill, Shakeemo Hill, and Mercado used the keys to steal mail from collection boxes. The other two members were involved in recruiting people they knew to supply them with private bank account details they could use.

The group posted “millions of dollars” worth of checks for sale on a messaging application. They also deposited millions worth of fraudulent checks into accounts at national banks located on the East Coast, though no specific amounts were disclosed.

As stated by US Attorney Jay Clayton,

“As alleged, the six defendants charged today lined their pockets by stealing checks destined for hard working New Yorkers and others. Together with our partners at the Postal Inspection Service, we will fight to protect the integrity of the US mail system – a public service upon which millions of Americans rely every day to send items of financial, professional, and personal importance.”

Generated Image: Midjourney