Four defendants have pleaded guilty on May 5 to charges related to a scheme involving the theft and resale of U.S. Treasury checks, according to United States Attorney David Metcalf. Saahir Irby and Tauheed Tucker, both of Philadelphia, Cory Scott of Ardmore, and Alexander Telewoda of Clifton Heights entered their pleas before United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson.
The case centers on allegations that Irby and Tucker, while employed as mail processing clerks at the United States Postal Service Philadelphia Processing and Distribution Center between June 2023 and September 2024, stole thousands of envelopes containing U.S. Treasury checks from mail sorting machines. The stolen checks were then sold to Scott and Telewoda, who advertised them for resale using the messaging application Telegram.
According to court filings, Scott and Telewoda mailed the stolen checks to buyers across the country after receiving payment. These buyers attempted to cash the stolen instruments at financial institutions nationwide. Authorities say that over $84 million in Treasury checks were stolen during this period, with approximately $11 million successfully negotiated by customers.
A grand jury returned a superseding indictment against all four defendants in May 2025. Irby was previously charged with another instance of mail theft involving additional Treasury checks in August 2024; he has also pleaded guilty in that matter.
Sentencing is scheduled for August for Irby, Tucker, and Telewoda; Scott will be sentenced in September. Irby faces up to 25 years in prison along with three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine if convicted on all counts. The other three defendants each face up to 20 years’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and fines up to $750,000.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General; United States Postal Inspection Service; Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General; Montgomery County Detective Bureau; Lower Merion Township Police Department; Bureau of the Fiscal Service. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Rice is prosecuting.
