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.

United Airlines to Pay $49 Million to Resolve Criminal Fraud Charges and Civil Claims

Date Released: 02/26/2021

United Airlines Inc. (United), the world’s third largest airline, has agreed to pay over $49 million to resolve criminal charges and civil claims relating to fraud on postal service contracts for transportation of international mail. United entered into a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and agreed to pay $17,271,415 in criminal penalties and disgorgement to resolve a criminal investigation into a fraud scheme perpetrated by former employees of United’s...

Postal Supervisor Who Stole Packages is Sentenced

Date Released: 01/13/2021

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Zoheb A. Deura, 34, of Derby, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to three years of probation, the first nine months of which Deura must serve in home confinement, for stealing mail while he was a U.S. Postal Service employee. Judge Dooley also ordered Deura to pay a $20,000 fine. According to court documents and statements made in court, between February and April 2020...

Woman Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Seven-Year Public Assistance Fraud Scheme

Date Released: 11/17/2020

Seattle –A 40-year-old Tacoma resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 27 months in prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and embezzlement of mail by a postal employee. Iliganoa Theresa Lauofo illegally collected more than $276,000 over the course of a fraud scheme that began in 2011 and continued until 2018. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones noted, “There are large families across this country who have no source of income and...

Former USPS Carrier Sentenced to Prison for Stealing, Selling Meth & Marijuana in Mail Packages

Date Released: 11/13/2020

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former United States Postal Carrier was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 24 months in prison for stealing mail parcels that contained narcotics and then selling those narcotics in his neighborhood. Ricky Lee Harris Germany, 33, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in September 2019 to one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and a detectable amount of marijuana. According to court documents, Germany had been employed...

Former CEO Sentenced to Jail in Connection with Drug Safety Claims

Date Released: 10/22/2020

ABINGDON, VIRGINIA – Shaun Thaxter, the former chief executive officer of Indivior PLC, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon to 6 months in federal prison. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $100,000 and forfeit $500,000. Thaxter pleaded guilty to a one-count misdemeanor information on June 30, 2020 for his role in causing the introduction into interstate commerce of misbranded shipments of the opioid drug Suboxone Film, a violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act...