Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced Friday that the Hell's Kitchen post office on West 52nd Street was at the center of a massive mail theft ring.
Postal worker Destiny Anderson, 35, and her partner Anthony Johnson, 34, are accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of credit cards and checks from the mail. The pair reportedly sold the stolen items or used them for their own personal gain. Anderson is a United States Postal Service (USPS) employee based at the Radio City Post Office (322 W 52nd Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues), and Johnson is charged with multiple offenses in a New York State Supreme Court indictment.
The indictment charges Anderson, of Queens, with two counts of fourth-degree larceny and one count of fifth-degree conspiracy, while Johnson, of Brooklyn, is charged with one count of third-degree larceny, three counts of fourth-degree larceny, one count of attempted second-degree larceny and one count of fifth-degree conspiracy.
“We allege that Destiny Anderson and Anthony Johnson stole checks and credit cards from the mail for their own personal gain. This type of conduct is extremely harmful to the many Manhattan residents who rely on a trustworthy postal service for their paychecks and other important financial documents,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Public officials who exploit their jobs at the expense of others will be held accountable.”
Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi of the USPS Office of Inspector General's Northeast District Field Office stressed the importance of maintaining the integrity of the Postal Service: “The conduct alleged is shameful, and my office will continue to thoroughly investigate any conspirators who betrayed the trust of Postal Service employees and the public.”
Daniel Brubaker, Chief Inspector of the USPS New York Field Office of Inspections, also commented on the incident: “It is always disheartening when theft of U.S. mail or identity theft occurs, especially when these crimes are committed by individuals who betray the trust of the American people and blatantly disregard their duty to ensure the reliable delivery of their customers' mail.”
According to court documents, the scheme took place between May 14, 2021 and March 10, 2022. Anderson, who was employed at the W 52nd Street Post Office, allegedly stole envelopes containing credit cards and checks while on duty; Johnson reportedly encouraged and directed her actions. The stolen items included $387,000 and $21,500 worth of checks, which were used for personal gain or sold through platforms such as Instagram, with payments received via Zelle or CashApp.
The stolen credit cards were used to make purchases at luxury stores including Yves Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, B&H Photo, BJ's Wholesale and Duane Reade.
* The charges set forth in the Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All statements of fact are based on documents filed in the Court and statements made on the court record.
