Nicole Georges, Theft of Mail and Bank Fraud, New Jersey 2020

Newark, N.J. - In a shocking case of theft, three New Jersey individuals have admitted their roles in a scheme to steal checks worth more than $75,000 from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in Chester, New Jersey, announced U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito.

Nicole Georges, 30, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini, in Newark federal court to an information charging her with theft of mail and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Raheem Haynes-Moore, 25, and Daquan Pruitt, 31, previously pleaded guilty to separate informations charging each with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, as a result of the scheme to cash the stolen checks.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Georges stole checks from the USPS station in Chester, New Jersey, where she was employed. Georges and her conspirators then fraudulently deposited them into various bank accounts, and withdrew the money, often that same day or a day later before the checks were reported stolen.

The charge of theft of mail by postal employee carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Sentencing for Georges is scheduled for June 18, 2020. Sentencing for Pruitt and Haynes-Moore is scheduled for April 23, 2020.

U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Newark Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge James Buthorn, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, and officers of the Chester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas Williver, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sophie E. Reiter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

Georges' crimes were severe and her punishment should reflect that, but we will have to wait and see what the judge decides on June 18, 2020. In the meantime, we can only hope that those responsible face justice and that the public can rest assured that their mail is safe from thieving postal workers.

We will be keeping a close eye on this case and providing updates as more information becomes available.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/former-postal-worker-admits-role-bank-fraud-scheme