FORMER POSTAL WORKER ADMITS ROLE IN BANK FRAUD SCHEME

NEWARK, N.J. – 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, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

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 stolen checks had a total value of over $75,000.

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.

20-065 

Defense counsel:
Georges: Kevin Carlucci Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
Pruitt: Kevin Buchan Esq., Roseland, New Jersey
Haynes-Moore: Lorraine Gauli-Rufo Esq., Verona, New Jersey