Investigative News Releases

Working with our Law Enforcement Partners

Our special agents investigate nationwide internal crimes and fraud committed by postal employees and contractors as well as postal employee misconduct. We work with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and local prosecutors across the country to prosecute these crimes.

In some instances, we uncover much larger criminal activity being carried out by multiple individuals and organizations. In many of these cases, we partner with other federal and local law enforcement agencies to identify and hold responsible those who take advantage of the public’s trust in our postal system.

Below are links to the most recent news releases about our work.

Doctor Sentenced to Prison in Workers’ Comp Fraud Conspiracy

Date Released: 02/16/2023

Category: Health Care Fraud

FAYETTEVILLE — Robert Clay Smith, age 61, an Alexandria, La., physician was sentenced yesterday to 48 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, health care fraud, and violations of federal anti-kickback laws. The case is being investigated by the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the Louisiana Department of Justice, the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners

Two Amazon Marketplace Sellers and Four Companies Plead Guilty to Price Fixing DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs

Date Released: 02/13/2023

Category: Contract Fraud

Two Amazon marketplace sellers and four of their companies have pleaded guilty to price fixing DVDs and Blu Ray Discs. The Antitrust Division’s Chicago Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case, which was investigated with the assistance of the FBI’s New York Field Office and the USPS Office of Inspector General’s Contract Fraud Investigations Division.

Serial Fraudster Sentenced to Prison for Lead Role in $2.2 Million Unemployment Fraud Scheme

Date Released: 02/09/2023

Category: Financial Fraud

DETROIT – A Detroit man was sentenced today to 8 years in federal prison on charges of conspiring to defraud multiple government agencies out of more than $2.2 million in Covid-19 pandemic assistance funds and also to defraud the United States Postal Service (USPS) of more than $200,000, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Ison was joined in the announcement by Andre Martin, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.

California Man Sentenced for Mailing Marijuana to Western Pennsylvania

Date Released: 02/06/2023

Category: Narcotics

PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Seiad Valley, CA, has been sentenced in federal court to 24 months of imprisonment followed by one year of supervised release on his conviction for violating federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today. The DEA led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the USPS OIG

Jacksonville Contract Postal Carrier Sentenced For Theft Of Mail

Date Released: 02/03/2023

Category: Internal Mail Theft

Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced former USPS contract mail carrier Randolph Varbelow to time served, approximately four months’ imprisonment. He had pleaded guilty to theft of mail matter on November 15, 2022. According to court documents, Varbelow worked as a contract mail carrier. In response to complaints about missing mail on his route, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General conducted an investigation