ST. LOUIS – A U.S. Postal Service worker was charged Wednesday for stealing over $1.5 million in checks and fraudulently obtaining a pandemic relief loan.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Missouri, Anthony Virdure II, 29, stole the checks while working at a distribution center located at 1720 Market Street.
While working at the distribution center, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Virdure had access to all first-class mail routed through the center.
Virdure was also accused of fraudulently receiving $20,832 from a Pandemic Protection Program loan in 2021. He received the loan for a tobacco store called Virdure Dynamics, but the application contained false information about the business’ income and address.
He included a false address on the application that was later identified as his grandmother’s house.
Virdue was charged in U.S. District Court for three counts of mail theft and one count of wire fraud.
According to the U.S. District Court, wire fraud charges can carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. Mail theft charges carry a penalty of up to five year in prison and a $250,000 fine.
