Attorney Prim F. Escalona | U.S. Department of Justice
A former U.S. Postal employee has been found guilty for his involvement in supplying stolen checks to a scam Telegram channel known as "The Lucky Shop." The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector-in-Charge Mona Hernandez of the Houston Division, and United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis.
Michael Christopher Rowser, 24, from Birmingham, was convicted after a three-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala. He faced charges of conspiracy to receive bribes and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud.
During the trial, evidence revealed that "The Lucky Shop" operated as a criminal marketplace on Telegram, dealing in stolen checks and bank login information. Corrupt postal employees like Rowser supplied these stolen checks to the channel's administrators, who then posted redacted copies for sale. Customers purchasing these checks provided profits that were partially returned to Rowser as kickbacks. It was shown that Rowser received approximately $106,000 in bribe payments over a year while working as a mail handler at the U.S. Postal Service’s Processing & Distribution Center in Birmingham.
Rowser is set to be sentenced on April 7, 2025.
The investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward J. Canter and Daniel S. McBrayer.
