Investigative News Releases

Agent arresting suspect Office of Investigations

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.

Judge Sentences Businessman to Federal Prison for Health Care Fraud Scheme

Date Released: 12/02/2019

In San Antonio today, a federal judge sentenced 49–year-old San Antonio businessman Rafael Enrique Rodriguez to seven years in federal prison for his role in a multi-million-dollar health care fraud scheme. In addition to the prison term, Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra ordered that Rodriguez pay $6,032,126.69 in restitution to the government and be placed on supervised release for a...

Surgeon Sentenced for Receiving Kickbacks in Massive Health Care Fraud

Date Released: 11/22/2019

SANTA ANA, California – A spinal surgeon was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison for participating in a long-running health care fraud scheme in which he received at least $5 million in kickbacks for performing hundreds of spinal surgeries. The overall scheme resulted in more than $580 million in fraudulent bills being submitted, mostly to California’s worker compensation system. Dr...

U.S. Postal Service Employee Sentenced for Embezzlement

Date Released: 11/20/2019

BOSTON – A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced today for embezzling over $20,000 in payments from customers. Austin Correia, 22, of New Bedford, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris to 24 months of probation, with the first three months to be served in home confinement, and 25 hours of community service. In July 2019, Correia pleaded guilty to one count of...

Two Men Sentenced in Marijuana Scheme Through U.S. Postal Service

Date Released: 11/19/2019

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two Huntington men who participated in a scheme to mail marijuana from California to Huntington over a period of several years were sentenced yesterday, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. James Waylon Molinaro, 44, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison after previously entering a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Molinaro also...

Former USPS Employee Sentenced to Nearly Five Years for Mail Theft and Access Device Fraud

Date Released: 11/06/2019

Jennifer Riccardi, 46, a former U.S. Postal Service employee who worked at the main mail processing center in Cleveland, was sentenced for her role in a scheme to steal from the U.S. mail and commit access device fraud. Judge John R. Adams sentenced Riccardi to 56 months of incarceration, three years of supervised release, and $89,102 in restitution. Her co-defendant and live-in boyfriend, Joseph...