CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A former U.S. Postal Service employee was sentenced to prison Thursday after being involved in a bank fraud scheme involving stolen mail. Andre Whitehurst, 34, was sentenced to 15 months followed by one year of supervised release. He pleaded guilty in June 2025 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and theft of mail by a postal employee. From April 2022 to September 2024, Whitehurst used his position as a USPS clerk to steal incoming and outgoing checks from the mail, according to court records. He then sold the stolen checks to others, who would deposit them into bank accounts in the names of fictitious identities. They would then move the funds before the bank could determine if the checks were stolen. The scheme led to attempted losses of over $364,000. Whitehurst agreed to pay a forfeiture money judgment for $74,000. “Checks stolen from the mail is a huge problem,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Where checks are stolen by postal insiders it’s even worse, and we will be sure to hold them accountable.” ...read more read less