3 Houston USPS Mail Carriers, 2 Others Accused of Check Theft Scheme
Federal prosecutors say the ring used encrypted Telegram chats and FedEx shipments to move stolen checks, including one worth $1.5 million.
- A federal grand jury indicted five people on August 19 for an alleged check-theft scheme that generated more than $23 million over six years, including three USPS mail carriers and two Houston residents.
- Federal prosecutors allege Tryston Tremaine Vaughn orchestrated the operation by recruiting postal carriers to steal checks, advertising them on the Telegram channel "slipsandchips" before shipping stolen items via FedEx.
- Stolen checks ranged from nearly $10,000 to $1.5 million, with the group targeting financial institutions including Chase Bank, Citibank, and BMO Bank from October 2022 through this month.
- Arrest warrants were issued Thursday, August 20, for all five defendants; however, as of Monday afternoon, only Catherine Clauzelle Kilpatrick had been arrested on charges including conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
- Following the charges, residents expressed security concerns that echo an April 2025 USPS audit revealing deficiencies in mail theft prevention at Houston-area postal stations, prompting 11 recommendations.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Houston-area postal workers accused of stealing nearly $24 million in checks
In court documents, federal prosecutors allege three Houston-area mail carriers were recruited to find and steal checks they handled in their United States Postal Service duties and sell them for profit. In total, five were indicted.
abc30 News
abc 7 NewsHouston postal carriers charged in alleged $23 million stolen check scheme
Three Houston postal carriers are among five people federally charged in an alleged check-theft scheme that investigators said generated more than $23 million.
Three USPS Mail Carriers Indicted in Massive $23.9 Million Stolen-Check Scheme – 100PercentFedUp.com – by Isaac
Three Houston mail carriers are among five people indicted in an alleged stolen-check conspiracy that federal prosecutors say involved a staggering $23,973,338.15. According to KPRC 2, a federal grand jury indicted Tryston Tremaine Vaughn, Catherine Clauzelle Kilpatrick, Drakkor Jamar Alexander, Malcolm Tiree Joubert and Alyssa Nadine Bryant on August 19 in the Southern District of Texas. The indictment alleges that Vaughn recruited Postal Servi…
What we know about 5 people indicted in a $24M stolen check scheme involving USPS mail carriers on Houston routes
Five people, including three U.S. Postal Service mail carriers, are facing federal charges in an alleged stolen-check operation prosecutors say involved nearly $24 million worth of checks.
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