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Westchester Postal Worker Accused Of Stealing More Than $78K In Checks From Mail Westchester Postal Worker Accused Of Stealing More Than $78K In Checks From Mail
Westchester Postal Worker Accused Of Stealing More Than $78K In Checks From Mail A Westchester man has been accused of allegedly stealing more than $78,000 in checks from the mail he was responsible for delivering while working as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service. Mount Vernon resident Alberto Pino, age 31, was indicted by a Westchester County Grand Jury for second-degree grand larceny, a felony, and two counts of petit larceny, a misdemeanor.  He was arraigned in Westchester County Court on Thursday, Oct. 5. Between January and March 2021, Pino was working as a mail carrier for the USPS when he allegedly stole three United States Depa…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Former USPS Employee In CT Admits Stealing Funds Former USPS Employee In CT Admits Stealing Funds
Former USPS Employee In CT Admits Stealing Funds A former United States Postal Service employee from Connecticut has pleaded guilty to a charge related to stealing USPS funds. Lindim Asipi, age 44, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty on Monday, Dec. 20, to one count of wire fraud related to his theft of USPS funds, according to an announcement from Leonard Boyle, acting US Attorney for the District of Connecticut. Asipi worked as a driver for the USPS in Waterbury, and the USPS gave him a fleet credit card for gas, Boyle said.  Between about January 2019 and June 2020, he conducted several hundred fraudulent transactions with the card…

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by Nicole Valinote
Business
USPS Releases Info On Holiday Prices, Deadlines, Unveils Santa Claus Stamps USPS Releases Info On Holiday Prices, Deadlines, Unveils Santa Claus Stamps
USPS Releases Info On Holiday Prices, Deadlines, Unveils Santa Claus Stamps The United States Postal Service is gearing up for the holidays, unveiling its brand-new holiday stamps and announcing shipping deadlines to deliver mail by Christmas. The USPS shared in an announcement on Thursday, Oct. 7, that the postal service is releasing a number of holiday and winter-themed stamps, including the brand new Santa Claus stamps. “The A Visit From St. Nick stamps bring joy to the kid in all of us,” said Scott Bombaugh, the Postal Service’s vice president and chief technology officer. “Holiday cards and letters mailed with these stamps will delight people of all ages. The…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
Ex-Worker For USPS Contractor Admits To Stealing From Government Facility In Connecticut Ex-Worker For USPS Contractor Admits To Stealing From Government Facility In Connecticut
Ex-Worker For USPS Contractor Admits To Stealing From Government Facility In Connecticut A former worker for a United States Postal Service towing contractor has admitted to stealing more than 40 tires from a USPS maintenance facility in the region.  Steven Knox, age 45, of New Britain, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Nov. 2, to theft of government property, according to Leonard Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. In the early hours of May 19, about 43 tires were stolen from the tire shed of a USPS vehicle maintenance facility in Hartford, Boyle said.  Surveillance footage showed a pickup truck pulling up to the shed at about 1:30 a.…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
Former US Postal Employee In CT Admits Stealing Cash, Gift Cards From Letters Former US Postal Employee In CT Admits Stealing Cash, Gift Cards From Letters
Former US Postal Employee In CT Admits Stealing Cash, Gift Cards From Letters A former United States Postal Service employee from Connecticut has pleaded guilty to opening peoples' mail and stealing gift cards and cash. Hartford County resident Nathaniel Bonilla, age 32, of Bristol, pleaded guilty on Monday, Nov. 1, to theft of mail by a postal employee, according to Leonard Boyle, acting United States attorney for the District of Connecticut. The US Attorney's Office said Bonilla worked as a mail processing clerk at the US Postal Service’s Process and Distribution Center in Hartford. Between April 2020 and October 2020, Bonilla opened mail envelopes with …

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by Nicole Valinote
News
Rapper Fetty Wap Trafficked 100 Kilos Of Opioids From NY Across US, Federal Officials Say Rapper Fetty Wap Trafficked 100 Kilos Of Opioids From NY Across US, Federal Officials Say
Rapper Fetty Wap Trafficked 100 Kilos Of Opioids From NY Across US, Federal Officials Say Rapper Fetty Wap was among six men charged with running an elaborate cross-country drug distribution ring out of New York, authorities announced. The rapper, whose real name is Willie Junior Maxwell II, was arrested Thursday, Oct. 28 by FBI agents at Citi Field. An indictment was unsealed on Long Island, in Central Islip federal court, Friday, Oct. 29, charging six men with conspiring to distribute and possess controlled substances, including five of them also charged for using weapons in connection to drug trafficking. The six men distributed more than 100 kilograms of cocaine, …

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by Zak Failla
News
Snail Mail? New USPS Standards To Delay Some Delivery Times Now Set To Start Snail Mail? New USPS Standards To Delay Some Delivery Times Now Set To Start
Snail Mail? New USPS Standards To Delay Some Delivery Times Now Set To Start The new service standards that could slow down some United States Postal Service delivery times are set to go into effect. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's plan includes slowing the delivery of first-class mail in an effort to cut costs.  Forbes reported that the new standards will go into effect on Friday, Oct. 1.  The news outlet said first-class mail will be transported by trucks instead of airplanes in the new plan. DeJoy previously said that the goal is to ensure the long-term financial stability of the post office. The plan has received criticism from the US Postal Servic…

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by Nicole Valinote
Business
USPS Will Start Delaying Some Mail Service In Cost-Cutting Measure USPS Will Start Delaying Some Mail Service In Cost-Cutting Measure
USPS Will Start Delaying Some Mail Service In Cost-Cutting Measure The United States Postal Service is planning to begin slowing the delivery of first-class mail in an effort to save money, despite some opposition. NPR reported that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's 10-year plan has been met with criticism from some members of the US Postal Service's Board of Governors. The news outlet reported that the board's governor, Ronald Stroman said the decision isn't justified by the "relatively low financial return," and creates dangerous risks. DeJoy said adjustments have been made, but still wants to move forward with the plan.  NPR said DeJoy a…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
CT USPS Employee Sentenced For Stealing $40K In Money Orders CT USPS Employee Sentenced For Stealing $40K In Money Orders
CT USPS Employee Sentenced For Stealing $40K In Money Orders A Litchfield County postal worker was sentenced to five years of probation for embezzling nearly $40,000 in postal money orders, according to the office of United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut John H. Durham.  Keith Sanford of Litchfield, 33, allegedly issued 139 postal money orders worth $39,937.02 in total to himself and his associates between April and December of 2018.  Between July of 2017 and December of 2018, Sanford was employed by USPS and cycled between post offices in West Granby, Granby and East Hartland.  Probation was extended to Sanford on th…

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by Christina Coulter
News
CT Postal Employee Admits To Stealing Mail CT Postal Employee Admits To Stealing Mail
CT Postal Employee Admits To Stealing Mail A woman who worked as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service admitted to stealing mail. John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced on Wednesday, Aug. 19 that Amy Makaros, of New Britain, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to theft of mail by a postal employee. According to court documents and statements made in court, between November 2018 and February 2019, while she was employed as a USPS mail carrier in Farmington, Makaros stole numerous pieces of mail. Those stolen items included greeting cards that contained gift card…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Here's How You Can Avoid Being Reeled In By Mail Fishing Here's How You Can Avoid Being Reeled In By Mail Fishing
Here's How You Can Avoid Being Reeled In By Mail Fishing Though it’s not officially fishing season, police are cautioning area residents to be wary of scammers going “fishing” in United States Postal Service mailboxes. Law enforcement agencies in the tri-state area issued alerts warning of scammers who have been making the rounds “fishing” in USPS mailboxes in an attempt to steal checks and personal information. Police said that “mail fishing” is a crime that involves thieves using a weighted object that is attached to a string or wire and covered in a sticky substance to retrieve mail from out of postal boxes. According to police, “‘mail fisher…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Alert Issued For IRS 'Spoofing' Scam Alert Issued For IRS 'Spoofing' Scam
Alert Issued For IRS 'Spoofing' Scam It's tax time and with it comes a new warning that there's a twist to the usual IRS impersonation phone scam. Criminals are faking calls from the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), an independent organization within the Internal Revenue Service, the IRS said in the warning issued Friday, March 30. Similar to other IRS impersonation scams, the scammer makes unsolicited calls to the victim, falsely claiming to be from the IRS. But in the new wrinkle, the con artists have found a way to "spoof" the phone number of the TAS office in New York or Houston. The scammers then request personal inf…

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by Daily Voice
News
Ex-Mayor In CT Sentenced For Stealing Nearly $1M From Employer, Brother Ex-Mayor In CT Sentenced For Stealing Nearly $1M From Employer, Brother
Ex-Mayor In CT Sentenced For Stealing Nearly $1M From Employer, Brother A former mayor in Connecticut is trading city hall for a prison cell after stealing from his employer, then attempting to double down by stealing from his brother to cover up his thievery. Stephon Gionfriddo, 68, the former mayor of Middletown, has been sentenced to 46 months in prison after admitting to embezzling more than $500,000 from his former employer and proceeding to steal approximately $400,000 from his brother to pay that back. He will also serve three years of supervised release. Gionfriddo was hired as a paralegal by a law firm in Rocky Hill in August 2013. Beginning in De…

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by Zak Failla
Business
USPS Announces Largest Increase In Price Of A Stamp In Nearly Three Decades USPS Announces Largest Increase In Price Of A Stamp In Nearly Three Decades
USPS Announces Largest Increase In Price Of A Stamp In Nearly Three Decades The United States Postal Service has officially announced what will be the largest cost hike for stamps since 1991. This pricing increase affects “forever” stamps, which will now cost 55 cents, making for a five-cent up-charge. This cost hike was initially proposed last October and approved in November. USPS reported a net loss of $3.9 billion during the 2018 fiscal year, and the new rates are intended to keep the service “competitive.” "The Governors believe these new rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with needed revenue," wrote USPS in a statement…

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by Valerie Musson
News
Two Charged With Cashing Over $60,000 In Stolen Postal Money Orders Two Charged With Cashing Over $60,000 In Stolen Postal Money Orders
Two Charged With Cashing Over $60,000 In Stolen Postal Money Orders A former United States Postal Service employee and a co-conspirator are facing prison time after allegedly stealing more than $60,000 in postal money orders in Connecticut. John Durham, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that former USPS employee Michelle Barbeau, of Brooklyn, and James Lebel were arrested this week for offenses related to the theft of the money orders. The indictment charges that while employed at the Wauregan Post Office in Plainfield, between April and September last year, the two conspired to take blank U.S. Postal money orders from th…

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by Zak Failla
News
Man Admits To Shipping Large Amounts Of Pot To CT After $404K Seized Man Admits To Shipping Large Amounts Of Pot To CT After $404K Seized
Man Admits To Shipping Large Amounts Of Pot To CT After $404K Seized A 38-year-old man who conspired to distribute hundreds of pounds of marijuana in and around Fairfield County is facing decades in prison after pleading guilty in District Court in Bridgeport. John Durham, the United States Attorney for the District Connecticut announced on Tuesday that Atlanta resident Shamar “Sheist” Madden has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute, 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. According to court documents, between August 2016 and February the following year, Madden, Malek Long - who has pleaded guilty to th…

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by Zak Failla
News
Mailboxes In Public Areas Targeted To Steal Checks, New Canaan PD Says Mailboxes In Public Areas Targeted To Steal Checks, New Canaan PD Says
Mailboxes In Public Areas Targeted To Steal Checks, New Canaan PD Says Detectives from the New Canaan Police Department and members of the United States Postal Service are investigating several recent phishing incidents involving criminals targeting USPS mailboxes. The department issued a fraud alert this week, warning local residents that they are investigating a series of incidents involving alleged criminals using devices to drop into the USPS mailboxes and pull out mail that may include checks or other valuables. Police said that thieves are also targeting residential mailboxes with flags up, indicating mail is inside to be picked up. “Protect yourself and…

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by Zak Failla