David X. Sullivan, Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, announced that MIGUEL CRUZ QUILES, 34, of East Hartford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to an offense stemming from his theft of more than $250,000 from the U.S. Postal Service.

According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in 2012, Cruz Quiles was employed in various positions by the U.S. Postal Service, including as a window clerk providing customer service and as a USPS human resources safety clerk.  In 2024, Cruz Quiles issued himself more than 250 fraudulent money orders from the service counters at the Blue Hills Post Office in Hartford and the Bishops Corner Post Office in West Hartford.  Most of the fraudulent money orders were issued in the amount of $1,000.  To execute this scheme, Cruz Quiles used the authorization credentials of another USPS employee to access the USPS computer system at the service counter and fraudulently coded the transactions to conceal his theft.  Some of the transactions occurred when the post office service counter was closed to the public.  He then cashed the money orders or deposited them into his personal bank accounts.

On December 9, 2024, Cruz Quiles issued to himself 30 fraudulent money orders each in the amount of $1,000.

Cruz Quiles pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property, admitting that he unlawfully cashed or deposited at least $250,320 in government funds.

Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for April 15, at which time Cruz Quiles faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  Cruz Quiles is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.

This investigation has been conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.