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.

Executive Sentenced to 6+ Years for Health Care Fraud

Date Released: 05/29/2020

A health care executive at the center of two massive health care fraud scams has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox. Fifty-five-year-old Semyon Narasov, a former NextHealth and Forest Park Medical Center executive, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary to 76 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty in 2018 to conspiracy to commit money laundering in the NextHealth case and to...

Former Postal Employee Sentenced for Mail Theft

Date Released: 04/17/2020

ALBANY, NEW YORK – John R. Elbayeh, aka Jean Elbayeh, age 44, of Albany, was sentenced today to time served (about six months in jail), to be followed by two years of supervised release, for stealing Apple iPhones, gold coins, small gold bars and other valuable items from mailed packages while employed as a postal clerk. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Area for the United States Postal Service...

Physician Assistant Agrees to Pay $620, 500 for Allegedly Engaging in Illegal Kickback Scheme

Date Released: 04/01/2020

A Louisiana physician assistant entered into settlement agreement this week with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for allegedly accepting illegal payments from OK Compounding, LLC, in return for recommending and prescribing compounded drugs produced by the pharmacy, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. Stephen Ryan Honeycutt, 44, agreed to pay the government $620,508.36 for allegedly accepting the illegal kickback payments from Jan. 8 through June 10, 2013, while practicing at Bone & Joint Clinic in...

Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Making False Statements Relating to Health Care Matters

Date Released: 03/12/2020

BATON ROUGE, LA – United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Marvin Clifton, M.D., age 71, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 18 months in federal prison following his conviction for making false statements relating to health care matters. The Court further sentenced Dr. Clifton to two years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, and ordered him to pay a $50,000 fine and a $100 special assessment. According to admissions...

Man Sentenced in Marijuana Conspiracy Involving U.S. Postal Service

Date Released: 03/02/2020

HUNTINGTON W.Va. – A formal postal employee who participated in a scheme to distribute marijuana mailed from California to Huntington over a period of several years was sentenced to federal prison, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Michael Mason Morton, 55, was sentenced to six months in federal prison after previously entering a guilty plea to distribution of marijuana. “Morton abused his position as a letter carrier with the United States Postal Service,” said United States...