A former mail handler for the U.S. Postal Service in St. Louis has pleaded guilty to charges of mail theft and wire fraud after admitting to stealing checks from the mail and committing pandemic-related fraud.
Anthony Virdure II, 30, entered his plea on Wednesday. According to authorities, postal inspectors were alerted on December 1, 2023, when Hazelwood Police discovered 30 stolen checks in a rental vehicle that had been returned. Investigators determined these checks had passed through the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center at 1720 Market Street, where Virdure was employed and had access to all first-class mail. His fingerprints were found on one of the stolen checks.
On January 3, 2024, Frontenac Police contacted postal inspectors about additional checks left behind in an apartment after a tenant moved out. These checks also originated from the same processing center, with Virdure’s fingerprints again identified on one item.
A court-approved search conducted by law enforcement on April 30, 2024, led to the discovery of another 298 stolen checks in an apartment. Many of these also bore Virdure’s fingerprints.
Authorities said the total value of the stolen checks amounted to $68,486.
Virdure also admitted that he fraudulently applied for and received a $20,832 loan under the Pandemic Protection Program (PPP) in 2021 for a business called Virdure Dynamics. He falsely claimed sole proprietorship of this tobacco store and reported a gross income of $100,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 30. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000; mail theft carries up to five years imprisonment with the same potential fine amount. Restitution will also be required.
The case was investigated by multiple agencies including the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Frontenac Police Department and Hazelwood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting.
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