Former DC USPS Worker Denaturalized After Stealing $1.6M in Checks

(WASHINGTON, DC) A former USPS worker in Washington, DC has had U.S. citizenship revoked and will serve prison time after a sweeping federal case tied to stolen Treasury checks and bank fraud. A federal jury convicted the former letter carrier on March 14, 2025, of conspiracy to commit theft of mail and bank fraud, theft of mail, and bank fraud. On September 4, 2025, prosecutors announced a sentence of 66 months in federal prison and denaturalization, a rare step that makes this case stand out for both its scale and consequences.

According to court filings summarized by prosecutors, the defendant stole U.S. Treasury checks from the mail, altered or falsely endorsed them, and directed others to cash or deposit the proceeds. Investigators said the money funded over $1.6 million in illicit spending, including travel, hotels, and entertainment. The denaturalization order was finalized in September 2025, following coordination between the Department of Justice and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Officials described the loss of citizenship as an exceptional measure typically reserved for cases with serious fraud tied to the naturalization process.

Case overview and denaturalization steps

Prosecutors said the scheme hinged on trusted access. As a USPS worker, the defendant handled mail that included government checks, which became targets. Jurors heard evidence of altered payees, forged endorsements, and rapid movement of funds through accounts set up or controlled by co‑conspirators.

The court also ordered restitution and asset recovery, with authorities seeking to seize property and funds purchased with stolen money.

Denaturalization is not automatic, and it is not a routine part of criminal sentencing. It requires a federal court order and usually follows proof that citizenship was obtained through willful misrepresentation or that post‑naturalization conduct reveals fraud that legally voids the grant.

Once ordered, USCIS updates records and, if the person has no other lawful status, immigration enforcement can begin removal proceedings. In this case, the denaturalization order was issued alongside the criminal sentence, underscoring how seriously the court weighed the breach of trust and the scale of bank fraud.

Officials stressed that the ruling does not reflect on the vast majority of postal employees who serve the public every day. But the outcome sends a sharp message: internal mail theft, especially theft of government checks, can bring not only prison but, for naturalized citizens, the loss of citizenship itself.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, pairing a long prison term with denaturalization is unusual and signals a tougher posture in cases that mix public corruption, large‑dollar losses, and identity or document fraud.

A wider fight against check theft and bank fraud

The case comes amid a national surge in mail‑based check fraud that law enforcement links to organized groups and local crews. The U.S. Treasury Department reports check fraud involving the mail has risen by about 385% since the pandemic.

Criminals often target USPS collection boxes, apartment cluster boxes, or carrier satchels, seeking checks they can “wash” by removing ink and rewriting payees and amounts, or they recruit insiders to pull checks before delivery.

USPS and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) say they are making progress. Through 2024 and 2025, the agencies reported a 27% drop in letter carrier robberies and more than 2,400 arrests connected to mail theft and related crimes.

Under Project Safe Delivery, USPS has implemented several security measures:

• Installed high‑security collection boxes in targeted areas
• Deployed electronic arrow locks to reduce key theft and duplication
• Rolled out new training for employees

The USPS Office of Inspector General continues to audit these efforts and recommend upgrades in high‑risk locations.

Banks are also adapting as fraud patterns shift. The American Bankers Association (ABA), working with USPIS, launched a joint outreach campaign in 2025 to educate branch staff and customers about spotting altered checks, faster reporting, and safer payment options.

Common bank responses include:

• Promoting Positive Pay for business accounts
• Implementing hold policies for suspicious deposits
• Sending direct alerts when large checks post

ABA leaders have urged closer coordination with postal investigators and encouraged consumers to use secure payment methods where possible.

What consumers, businesses, and postal employees can do now

Officials say the best protection starts with small habits that reduce risk. Practical steps include:

1. Use indoor retail counters or secure mail slots rather than outdoor boxes for mailing checks.
2. Avoid leaving mail overnight; pick up deliveries quickly.
3. Consider electronic payments for rent and invoices when available.
4. Monitor accounts often; report suspicious activity right away.
5. For suspicious messages that appear to be from USPS, forward to [email protected] or text 7726.

Victims and witnesses can report mail theft and check fraud to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which provides reporting tools and contact options for local postal inspectors. Officials also recommend:

• Keeping copies of checks and envelopes
• Noting dates and locations of suspected theft
• Saving any camera footage that may show mailbox tampering

For postal employees, the case illustrates how serious the consequences can be when access is abused. USPS has expanded background checks for sensitive roles and is piloting technology that tracks chain‑of‑custody for certain high‑value mail streams.

Supervisors are instructed to:

• Flag route anomalies
• Report missing arrow keys
• Track repeated complaints about missing checks

Employees are encouraged to report suspected internal theft confidentially, with the assurance that investigations center on facts and patterns, not assumptions.

Policy and legal ripple effects

From a policy angle, Congress is weighing proposals to raise penalties for mail theft and give USPS added resources for security technology, with debate ongoing as of September 2025. USPS OIG audits are expected to continue and could steer funding toward:

• Hardened collection boxes
• Route analytics
• Next‑generation locks

If enacted, new laws could increase maximum penalties, expand forfeiture options, or set standards for reporting thefts to help track patterns across regions.

The denaturalization component of this case also has immigration ripple effects. Naturalized citizens facing allegations of serious fraud tied to their path to citizenship may now see a higher chance of civil denaturalization actions—especially when public corruption or large financial losses are involved.

That said, denaturalization remains uncommon. Courts apply a high evidentiary standard, and each case turns on specific facts, including what was stated—or concealed—during the naturalization process.

For immigrant communities, the message is twofold:

• The law treats citizenship with gravity; misrepresentations can lead to severe outcomes when later crimes expose the original fraud.
• The government does not use denaturalization casually or broadly—the outcome here reflects an unusual mix of a public‑trust role, high dollar losses, and a clear record developed at trial.

Restitution, asset recovery, and the government’s message

As this case proceeds through restitution and asset recovery, prosecutors will try to recoup funds tied to the stolen checks, including property purchased with the proceeds. Whether those funds can be returned to rightful payees will depend on what remains and what is recoverable from third parties involved in the bank fraud pipeline.

The government’s message is blunt: mail theft is not a petty offense, and a USPS worker who diverts checks for personal gain faces prison, forfeiture, and, in rare cases, denaturalization. With check fraud still high, agencies are pushing technology, arrests, and public education to reduce harm—and they are signaling that insider theft will draw the toughest response.