Three Men Charged in Bank Fraud Conspiracy Targeting Mail Collection Boxes and Postal Vehicles

NEWARK, N.J. – Three men were charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud connected to theft of mail from collection boxes and postal vehicles across Northern New Jersey, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced today.

Jeffrey Bennett, a/k/a “Bizz,” a/k/a “Riley Smith,” 31, of Irvington and Rahway, New Jersey, Aquil Hubbard, 31, of Middlesex and Newark, New Jersey, and Tashon Ragan, a/k/a “Ta,” 26, of Union, New Jersey, were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit bank fraud.  Bennett, Hubbard, and Ragan made their initial appearances in court before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court.  They were detained pending further proceedings.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:

From December 2024 to December 2025, Bennett, Hubbard, and Ragan conspired to steal mail and packages from United States Postal Service mail collection boxes and postal vehicles.  The conspirators sought checks, financial instruments, and other items of value from the mail.  The conspirators altered checks and attempted to deposit them at various financial institutions in New Jersey, and they used social media to recruit account holders at various financial institutions to further the goals of the conspiracy.  Investigators connected Bennett, Hubbard, and Ragan to a series of smash-and-grab burglaries of United States Postal Service vehicles across Northern New Jersey.  In those incidents, members of the conspiracy either smashed windows of postal vehicles or opened unlocked vehicle doors and stole trays of mail, often in broad daylight while postal workers were out delivering mail.

The charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $1,000,000 or twice the gross gain to the defendant or loss to a person other than the defendant, whichever is greater.

Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello credited postal inspectors of the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to the charges.  He also thanked postal inspectors of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, and agents and investigators from the United States Secret Service, Newark Field Office, as well as law enforcement officers from the Bernards Police Department, Belleville Police Department, Chatham Borough Police Department, Clifton Police Department, East Hanover Police Department, Maplewood Police Department, Middlesex Police Department, Metuchen Police Department, Nutley Police Department, Parsippany Police Department, Rahway Police Department, Roseland Police Department, and Union Police Department.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael K. O’Leary of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.