According to federal court documents, a letter carrier employed by the U.S. Postal Service in Washington, D.C., is accused of pilfering checks from the mail, totaling nearly $1.7 million in value.

In 2020, a mailman commenced his duties at the Friendship Heights Post Office and was later assigned to serve the upscale Wesley Heights neighborhood, as per court documents.

Over a span of several years, he engaged in a scheme involving approximately 100 stolen U.S. Treasury checks. He would manipulate these checks by adding his own name and address before depositing them into his personal bank accounts, according to investigators.

In January, a resident along his delivery route reported the theft of their tax refund. Investigators were able to connect the dots by comparing signatures on the stolen checks, as the USPS mail carrier had distributed holiday cards to residents in December 2022, as indicated in court documents.

Upon searching the mailman’s residence, investigators discovered a bank receipt linked to one of the stolen checks, amounting to over $400,000.

Federal authorities have recently requested a judge to seize the embezzled funds.

While the U.S. attorney’s office declined to comment, the U.S. Postal Service Inspector General confirmed an ongoing investigation into the mailman’s actions. Court records indicate that he was placed on unpaid leave on March 29.

In response to inquiries, a USPS representative stated, “The employee is currently retained by the USPS. USPS cannot provide further comments in accordance with postal policy and the Privacy Act.”