Latest news with #Irby
Forbes
5 days ago
- Forbes
Four Charged In Scheme To Steal Tens Of Millions Of Dollars In Treasury Checks From The Post Office
MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 14: A City Carrier Assistant to the United States Postal Service works to unload her mail truck at the Processing and Distribution Center after collecting mail for the U.S. Postal Service. (Photo by) Four Pennsylvania men have been charged in a scheme to steal tens of millions of dollars in government checks. Tauheed Tucker, Cory Scott, and Alexander Telewoda were arrested and charged with conspiracy to steal government funds, theft of government funds, and mail theft. A fourth defendant, Saahir Irby, was charged with these offenses in addition to a previously charged count of mail theft involving another batch of Treasury checks that he allegedly stole and sold in August 2024. The superseding indictment (a new indictment that replaces a previous one in a criminal case) alleges that, between June 2023 and September 2024, Irby and Tucker, while working as USPS mail processing clerks, stole thousands of envelopes containing U.S. Treasury checks from mail sorting machines at the USPS Philadelphia Processing and Distribution Center. Processing and Distribution Centers are one of nine different types of processing facilities—they process and dispatch mail arriving from Post Offices and collection boxes within a specific geographic location. According to the indictment, Irby and Tucker took the checks from the USPS facility. Specifically, Irby was assigned to machines that processed Treasury checks as 'Return to Sender.' When other USPS employees went on break, Irby and Tucker allegedly took envelopes from the sorting machines and hid them in their clothing and backpacks to smuggle them out to their cars. The feds allege that Irby and Tucker then sold them to Scott and Telewoda, who then advertised the stolen checks for resale on Telegram, often showing images of the checks. Telegram is a cloud-based messaging platform, similar to iMessage or WhatsApp, that allows users a great deal of privacy and anonymity—for example, messages can be set to disappear. While there are many legitimate users, it has also become known as something of a digital 'dark market' space. Once Scott and Telewoda received payment from the buyers (often at 10% of the face value of the checks), they would mail the stolen Treasury checks to buyers around the country. Those buyers would then attempt to cash the checks and claim the money. Over the course of the scheme, the indictment alleges, Irby and Tucker sold Scott and Telewoda thousands of stolen Treasury checks, valued at over $80 million. Scott's and Telewoda's customers were able to cash in approximately $11 million worth of the stolen Treasury checks. If convicted, Irby faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years' imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine, and Tucker, Scott, and Telewoda each face a maximum possible sentence of 20 years' imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine. Emails to attorneys representing Irby, Tucker and Telewoda seeking comment were not immediately returned. It is unclear from court records whether Scott is currently represented. This is the second high-profile case in a few months' time. In March, Hachikosela Muchimba, a former U.S. Postal Service employee, was found guilty of stealing checks, including tax refund checks, from customers on his route. Muchimba had been accused of pocketing over $1.6 million in stolen checks. Although that may feel alarming, your mail is typically safe. The Postal Service provides mail service to almost 153 million customers six days a week with relatively few incidents. Before 2020, mail theft from mail receptacles—such as mailboxes—was primarily perpetrated through forced entry or the use of fishing devices. However, that changed as the Post Office strengthened the physical security of blue collection boxes. According to a 2023 report, the Postal Service has experienced significant growth in mail theft from mail receptacles. There was an 87% increase in reports of high-volume mail theft from mail receptacles, with 20,574 reports in 2019 and 38,535 reports in 2022. That growth, the agency said, likely has been driven by a marked shift by organized criminal groups towards the perpetration of low-risk, high-reward financial crimes. At the same time, there was a marked increase in letter carrier robberies—a 543% boost in letter carrier robberies between 2019 and 2022, with 64 letter carrier robberies in 2019 and 412 letter carrier robberies in 2022. The Postal Service has ramped up efforts to address these spikes in crime. In 2023, there were 4,728 arrests (and 4,103 convictions), primarily focused on crimes involving prohibited mail, mail theft, and assaults and robberies of employees. In response to concerns over thefts of paper checks (as well as costs and delays), the federal government must stop issuing paper checks by September 30 in favor of direct deposit, prepaid cards, or other digital payment options. That's in line with an Executive Order signed by President Donald Trump in March. According to the federal government, historically, Department of the Treasury checks have been 16 times more likely to be reported lost or stolen, returned undeliverable, or altered compared to electronic funds transfers (EFTs). Last year, 455,601 Americans—about 0.7% of the more than 68 million total recipients—drew Social Security benefits checks. The numbers are less robust at the IRS. The most recent filing data from the tax agency indicates that approximately 97% of all tax refunds for individual federal income tax returns are issued by direct deposit. (Despite the push, one group of taxpayers may be out of luck: American taxpayers living abroad. If you live out of the country, your federal income tax refund can only be deposited directly into a U.S. bank or an affiliated account. The Social Security Administration has similar—though a bit more generous—rules for beneficiaries living abroad. You can only direct deposit Social Security payments into a U.S. financial institution or a financial institution in a country with an international direct deposit agreement (a list of these institutions can be found here). The order also applies to receipts—meaning payments that Americans make to the federal government, like tax payments, too. Agencies, including the Treasury, Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and Veterans Affairs, have been directed to 'expedite requirements' to receive the payment of federal receipts, including fees, fines, loans, and taxes.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
AgEagle Switzerland Facility Recommended for Prestigious ISO 9001 Certification
Achievement demonstrates manufacturer's drive for excellence in drone production Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE:UAVS), a leading provider of advanced drone and aerial imaging solutions, is proud to announce their Switzerland facility has been recommended to receive ISO 9001 certification by third-party auditors following an intensive review of the facilities Quality Management System. This prestigious certification reflects AgEagle's commitment to excellence, safety, and innovation. The ISO 9001 standard is widely recognized across all industries and sets rigorous requirements for quality management, customer satisfaction, risk mitigation, safety, and continuous improvement. Earning this certification for the Switzerland facility—home to key research, development, and manufacturing of AgEagle's cutting-edge drone technologies—demonstrates: Unmatched Quality Assurance: The facility meets the highest industry standards for producing reliable drone systems, such as the eBee TAC Public Safety drone and the eBee VISION drone, ensuring precision and performance for worldwide customers. Operational Excellence: The process highlights AgEagle's dedication to streamlining production and maintaining safety, supporting sustainable farming innovations and bringing new technologies to market Enhanced Global Trust: Certification strengthens AgEagle's credibility with international clients, including governments and procurement agencies, aligning with the company's growth into Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) marketplaces and public safety operators. 'This significant achievement is a result of a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication from our Switzerland team,' said Bill Irby, CEO of AgEagle. 'Earning ISO 9001 certification is a clear indicator of commitment and quality, and it sets AgEagle apart. This validates our quality processes and positions us to meet the stringent demands of our worldwide customer base. I'm proud of the team, and we will lead the way in delivering trusted solutions.' The AgEagle Switzerland facility's certification enhances AgEagle's ability to continue serving existing customers at a high level, expand into additional markets and industries, and compete for more government tenders. 'This globally recognized standard opens doors to new opportunities, as many government agencies in defense, aerospace, and technology sectors require ISO 9001 compliance to bid on tenders. By meeting these rigorous quality management criteria, we're well-positioned to expand our impact in public sector markets around the globe,' said Irby. For more information about AgEagle Aerial Systems, visit or contact media@ ### About AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. Through its three Centers of Excellence, AgEagle is actively engaged in designing and delivering best-in-class flight hardware, sensors and software that solve important problems for its customers. Founded in 2010, AgEagle was originally formed to pioneer proprietary, professional-grade, fixed-winged drones and aerial imagery-based data collection and analytics solutions for the agriculture industry. Today, AgEagle is a leading provider of full stack UAS, sensors and software solutions for customers worldwide in the energy, construction, agriculture, and government verticals. For additional information, please visit our website at Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release may constitute 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'contemplate,' 'could,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'intend,' 'seek,' 'may,' 'might,' 'plan,' 'potential,' 'predict,' 'project,' 'suggest,' 'target,' 'aim,' 'should,' 'will,' 'would,' or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on AgEagle's current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict, including risks related to the timing and fulfilment of current and future purchase orders relating to AgEagle's products, the success of new programs and software updates, the ability to implement a new strategic plan and the success of a new strategic plan. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. For a further discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of AgEagle in general, see the risk disclosures in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of AgEagle for the year ended December 31, 2024, and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the SEC by AgEagle. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and AgEagle undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. -###- Media ContactAndy Woodward+1 (469) LinkedIn Facebook X YouTube Investor RelationsEmail: UAVS@
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania men accused in scheme that swiped $80M in U.S. Treasury checks
(WHTM) — Four Pennsylvania men are facing charges in connection with the theft of over $80 million in U.S. Treasury checks. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced Wednesday charges against four men from the Philadelphia area: Tauheed Tucker, 23, and Saahir Irby, 27, both of Philadelphia; Cory Scott, 25, of Ardmore; and Alexander Telewoda, 25, of Clifton Heights. The men are facing felony conspiracy to steal government funds, theft of government funds, and mail theft charges. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Irby and Tucker were working as mail processing clerks for the U.S. Postal Service between June 2023 and Sept. 2024. They are accused of intercepting and swiping thousands of envelopes containing U.S. Treasury checks from mail sorting machines at the USPS Philadelphia processing center. The men then allegedly sold them to Scott and Telewoda, who then resold the checks on Telegram. They were mailed to buyers across the country who attempted to cash them. In total, $80 million in checks were allegedly stolen, $11 million of which were cashed. Download the abc27 News+ app on your Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Apple TV devices If convicted, Irby faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison and the remaining men face up to 20 years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fox Sports
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Austin Irby homers again, leads East Carolina to Conway Regional final with 11-4 win over Gators
Associated Press CONWAY, S.C. (AP) — East Carolina freshman Austin Irby continued his tear in the Conway Regional, homering for a third straight game to lead the Pirates past Florida 11-4 Sunday and sending them to the final against Coastal Carolina. The Pirates (35-26) beat Florida in the regional opener Friday and bounced back from Saturday's 18-7 loss to Coastal Carolina to set up a Sunday night final against the Chanticleers. ECU would have to beat Coastal Carolina twice to go super regionals. Florida (39-22) saw its bid for a third straight College World Series appearance end. Irby is 9 for 14 with seven RBIs in three regional games after going 2 for 4 and driving in two runs against the Gators. He singled in a run in the third inning and homered in the fourth to help the Pirates build their lead to 8-1. Freshman Braden Burress was 3 for 5 with three RBIs and raised his batting average to .401. Another East Carolina freshman, starter Lance Williams, gave up three runs on three hits and two walks in a season-best five innings, and Jake Hunter worked four scoreless innings. Pierce Coppola (2-2) was tagged for three runs, two earned, in two innings. Bill Barlow, who replaced Coppola, surrendered three runs without recording an out. The Gators were 1 for 12 with runners on base. ___ AP sports: recommended in this topic
Winnipeg Free Press
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Austin Irby homers again, leads East Carolina to Conway Regional final with 11-4 win over Gators
CONWAY, S.C. (AP) — East Carolina freshman Austin Irby continued his tear in the Conway Regional, homering for a third straight game to lead the Pirates past Florida 11-4 Sunday and sending them to the final against Coastal Carolina. The Pirates (35-26) beat Florida in the regional opener Friday and bounced back from Saturday's 18-7 loss to Coastal Carolina to set up a Sunday night final against the Chanticleers. ECU would have to beat Coastal Carolina twice to go super regionals. Florida (39-22) saw its bid for a third straight College World Series appearance end. Irby is 9 for 14 with seven RBIs in three regional games after going 2 for 4 and driving in two runs against the Gators. He singled in a run in the third inning and homered in the fourth to help the Pirates build their lead to 8-1. Freshman Braden Burress was 3 for 5 with three RBIs and raised his batting average to .401. Another East Carolina freshman, starter Lance Williams, gave up three runs on three hits and two walks in a season-best five innings, and Jake Hunter worked four scoreless innings. Pierce Coppola (2-2) was tagged for three runs, two earned, in two innings. Bill Barlow, who replaced Coppola, surrendered three runs without recording an out. The Gators were 1 for 12 with runners on base. ___ AP sports:
