Source: Office of United States Attorneys
INDIANAPOLIS— Three individuals have been sentenced to a combined 16 years in federal prison for their roles in a multi-year mail theft and bank fraud scheme.
According to court documents, between October 2021 and April 2022, Cortez Venable, Ephraim Aung, and Brooke Bryan conspired together to commit bank fraud using financial documents such as checks and money orders, which were stolen from U.S. Postal Service (USPS) collection boxes. These collection boxes can only be opened by special “arrow keys” that belong to USPS letter carriers. In order to obtain the arrow keys, Venable and other unknown individuals robbed postal workers at gunpoint while they were on their daily routes delivering mail. Venable robbed a letter carrier on October 4, 2021. Prior to the robbery, Venable and Aung had been in contact via text message. Aung told Venable to take the letter carrier’s mail bag, in addition to their arrow keys, and to look for checks in the stolen mail.
On December 6, 2021, Bryan and Aung served as lookouts while other unknown men attempted to rob a letter carrier of her arrow key in the parking lot of an apartment complex. The letter carrier ran to Bryan and Aung’s vehicle for help, unaware that they were involved in the scheme.
Aung again served as a lookout during an armed robbery of a letter carrier that occurred on December 21, 2021.
Using the arrow keys taken during the robberies, Venable and Aung stole mail, checks and money orders from USPS blue collection boxes in the Indianapolis area. Next, they used the stolen checks and money orders to obtain real cash by either (1) creating fraudulent checks and money orders using some or all of the information found on the stolen checks and money orders; or (2) altering the payee information on the stolen checks and money orders. Venable and Aung recruited others to deposit the fraudulent checks and money orders into their personal bank accounts, a scheme that has come to be known as “card cracking.” Bryan also deposited stolen financial instruments into her personal account.
Card cracking is a form of fraud where bank account holders respond to an online solicitation for “easy money” and provide a debit card for withdrawal of fake check deposits. Criminals use social media platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, or Telegram to solicit account holders. Those who respond to these solicitations – now accomplices – provide their debit card, PIN, password, and other personal identifying information to give the criminal direct access to their account, as well as payment of sometimes $15,000 for the service. The fraudster deposits the worthless checks and either immediately withdraws the funds at an ATM or transfers it out of the account via money transfer applications like Zelle or CashApp. The criminal sometimes provides the customer with a cut of the money withdrawn using worthless checks – or, in other cases, takes all funds out of the customer’s account.
During a search of Venable’s car and home, U.S. Postal Service Investigators recovered 247 pieces of stolen mail, three arrow keys, $70,121.44 in stolen checks and four firearms. As a convicted felon, Venable was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Investigators also searched the apartment that Bryan and Aung shared and located several stolen checks, altered money orders, laptops, a printer, a scanner, and blank check stock, along with other items commonly used to alter checks, including razor blades and white out. Multiple firearms were also recovered in their residence.
In total, more than 150 people were victimized by this scheme, losing a total of approximately $104,747.09.
Aung, Bryan and Venable were convicted and sentenced as follows:
| Defendant |
Charges |
Sentence |
| Ephraim Aung, 23, Indianapolis |
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
- Bank Fraud, 2 Counts
- Mail Theft
|
5 years imprisonment
3 years supervised release
$807 in restitution
$500 fine
|
| Brooke Bryan, 22, Indianapolis |
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
- Bank Fraud
|
18 months imprisonment
2 years supervised release
$807 in restitution
$500 fine
|
| Cortez Venable, 27, Lawrence |
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
- Bank Fraud
- Robbery or Mail
- Brandishing a Firearm In Furtherance of a Crime of Violence
- Mail Theft
- Keys or Locks Stolen
|
130 months imprisonment
3 years supervised release
$807 in restitution
$500 fine
|
“Not only did this scheme victimize and traumatize letter carriers – it also victimized ordinary citizens who rely on the United States mail to send important correspondence or pay bills,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Letter carriers should not have to live in fear of gun violence simply for doing their jobs. Americans should not have to fear that their important financial documents will be stolen and exploited by fraudsters who wreak financial havoc. The serious federal prison sentences in this case demonstrates that the Department of Justice, working with our federal partners, will ensure there will be serious consequences for violence against public servants and fraud against the public.”
“This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents, the U.S. Postal Inspectors and the Beech Grove and Lawrence Police Departments, working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation. Substantial sentences such as these are a staunch reminder of the severity of stealing from the U.S. Mail,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The majority of postal employees are hard-working public servants dedicated to moving mail to its proper destination. The USPS OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
“The sentencing of these three individuals shows the utmost importance we place on the safety of U.S. Postal Service employees and the sanctity of the U.S. mail,” said Detroit Division Acting Inspector in Charge Felicia George. “We will not stop pursuing those who seek to harm our employees and victimize postal customers. We will bring them to justice to account for their violent and selfish crimes. The partnerships we’ve established with our USPS OIG counterparts, local police departments, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office allowed us to work jointly to pursue and hold these individuals accountable. Let this serve as reminder to those who want to make a quick dollar by traumatizing our letter carriers and financially preying on the American public: We will find you and bring you to justice.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Beech Grove Police Department, and the Lawrence Police Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey Massa and Meredith Wood and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence Hilton, who prosecuted this case.
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