U.S. Postal Service Employee Convicted of Theft of Postal Money Orders and Wire Fraud (Press Release)

Summary

A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts, dated November 1, 2023, announcing that a federal jury in Boston convicted U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee Jamesa Rankins of Brockton of one count of theft of government money and three counts of wire fraud. The release states that Rankins, a Sales & Service Distribution Associate at the Montello Post Office, issued over $90,000 worth of replacement money orders to another individual where the original money orders had not been lost or stolen. It states that Rankins also obtained unemployment assistance from the Massachusetts Division of Unemployment Assistance while employed by USPS. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Feb. 2, 2024. The release quotes Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and officials of the USPS and Labor inspectors general.

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PRESS RELEASE



U.S. Postal Service Employee
Convicted of Theft of Postal
Money Orders and Wire Fraud
Wednesday, November 1, 2023


For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts

BOSTON – A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was convicted today by a federal jury
in Boston of embezzling over $90,000 and fraudulently obtaining unemployment
benefits.

Jamesa Rankins, 27, of Brockton, was convicted of one count of theft of government
money and three counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns
scheduled sentencing for Feb. 2, 2024. In July 2022, Rankins was indicted by a federal
grand jury.

“The public’s trust and confidence in our government is eroded
when federal employees abuse their positions for personal gain. That
is exactly what happened in this case. Ms. Rankins exploited her
position to embezzle nearly $100,000 in money orders from her
employer, the U.S. Postal Service, at the same time she was trying to
fleece taxpayers by fraudulently claiming unemployment benefits,”
said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Today’s guilty
verdict should be a stern warning to all who contemplate scamming
the government – you will be identified, prosecuted and held
accountable.”
“The Special Agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General are committed
to maintaining the integrity of the Postal Service and its personnel. When a Postal
Service employee abuses their position and decides to break the public’s trust, USPS
OIG Special Agents will work tirelessly with their law enforcement partners to bring
those responsible to justice. The dedicated work of Postal Service employees should
never be overshadowed by those who compromise their integrity for personal gain. The
USPS OIG is thankful for the great relationships we have developed with our law
enforcement partners and with the District of Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said
Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of
Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office.

“Jamesa Rankins violated the public trust placed in her as a U.S. Postal Service employee
by fraudulently collecting unemployment insurance while she was employed by the U.S.
Postal Service. Rankins stole taxpayer funds intended for those Americans who lost their
job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work with our law enforcement
partners to investigate these types of allegations,” stated Jonathan Mellone, Special
Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector
General.

Rankins began working for USPS around 2016, most recently as a Sales & Service
Distribution Associate at the Montello Post Office in Brockton. In this role, Rankins had
the ability to generate postal money orders, including replacement money orders.
During the relevant period, customers could obtain replacement money orders without
paying any additional fees if the original money orders were lost, damaged or
erroneous. Rankins issued over $90,000 worth of replacement money orders to another
individual where the original money orders were not erroneous and had not been lost or
stolen. On at least one occasion, Rankins personally negotiated one of the replacement
money orders at a check cashing business.

Rankins also applied for and obtained unemployment assistance from the
Massachusetts Division of Unemployment Assistance despite being employed by USPS
and thus being ineligible to receive unemployment assistance.

The charge of theft of government money provides a sentence of up to 10 years in
prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of wire
fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised
release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court
judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the
determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, USPS OIG SAC Modafferi and DOL OIG SAC Mellone made
the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris, Deputy Chief of the
Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich
of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Updated November 1, 2023

Topic
PUBLIC CORRUPTION


Component
USAO - Massachusetts


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