Ex-Post Office Workers Charged in $80 Million Check Theft Scheme


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What Happened?

  • Who?
    • Tauheed Tucker (23) and Saahir Irby (27), both ex-mail clerks in Philadelphia.
    • Cory Scott (25) and Alexander Telewoda (25), who allegedly sold the stolen checks.
  • The Crime:
    Tucker and Irby stole envelopes containing government-issued checks (like tax refunds or benefit payments) while working at a postal facility.

    • Total stolen: Over $80 million in checks.
    • About $11 million were successfully cashed by buyers.
  • How?
    • Scott and Telewoda bought the stolen checks and advertised them for sale on Telegram (a messaging app).
    • Buyers paid for the checks, which were then mailed to them. Many buyers didn’t realize the checks were stolen.

Consequences

All four men face serious charges:

  • Conspiracy to steal government funds (teamwork in crime).
  • Theft of government property (stealing checks).
  • Mail theft (tampering with mail).

If convicted, they could each get up to 20 years in prison.

  • Irby also faces extra charges for a related check theft case.

Key Takeaways

🔍 Scale: $80 million stolen, but only $11 million cashed.
🚨 Method: Postal insiders + social media sales = big-money scheme.
⚖️ Accountability: Even middlemen (Scott and Telewoda) face harsh penalties.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, NBC Philadelphia (June 13, 2025).

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