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> The most important USPS crimes in historical past, together with Charles Ponzi’s scheme

The most important USPS crimes in historical past, together with Charles Ponzi’s scheme


Because it was established in 1775, america Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which was based by Benjamin Franklin, has been investigating mail-related crimes.

Simply final yr, there have been a reported 4,728 arrests made and 4,103 convictions associated to postal crimes, in accordance with the U.S. Postal Service. Most of those crimes fell into the classes of mail theft, assaults and robberies of workers, mail fraud in addition to prohibited mailings, in accordance with the supply. 

There are quite a few varieties of crimes which are investigated by the USPIS yearly, that are included however not restricted to counterfeit stamps, identification theft, cybercrime, youngster exploitation and suspicious mail. 

Two separate photos of Charles Ponzi and Ted Kaczynski

Charles Ponzi, left, and Ted Kaczynski have been two criminals investigated by postal inspectors. (Gircke/ullstein bild by way of Getty Photographs | Stephen J. Dubner/Getty Photographs)

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Through the years, there have been many high-profile crimes investigated by the USPIS, together with those listed under. 

  1. 1909 – Investigation of the “Black Hand”
  2. 1920 – Charles Ponzi arrested
  3. 1921 – U.S. mail truck robbery
  4. 1923 – The DeAutremont brothers
  5. 1996 – “Unabomber” arrested

1. 1909 – Investigation of the ‘Black Hand’

In 1909, postal inspectors investigated the “Black Hand Gang,” a bunch of criminals that extorted cash from victims by the use of sending threatening letters. They have been thought-about the primary organized crime ring in America.

These letters threatened arson, kidnapping and homicide if the ransom was not paid, in accordance with the USPIS. 

There have been 14 people who have been arrested and convicted on this case, in accordance with the supply. 

2. 1920 – Charles Ponzi arrested

The daddy of the unlawful pyramid scheme, Charles Ponzi, was arrested in 1920.

Ponzi began his financial scheme when he found Worldwide Reply Coupons, which have been created in 1906 by the Worldwide Postal Union, in accordance with the Postal Museum. 

These coupons could possibly be purchased in a single nation after which redeemed in one other for the equal worth of that nation’s stamps, in accordance with the supply.

WHAT IS A PONZI SCHEME?

Charles Ponzi mug shots

Charles Ponzi was a scammer who made thousands and thousands of {dollars} by way of his unlawful monetary workings. (Getty Photographs)

Ponzi got here to the willpower that these coupons purchased in European nations had larger worth in america. This led him to the thought of shopping for and re-selling. He used the cash he acquired from his new buyers to repay the outdated ones, in accordance with Investopedia. 

With the assistance of some buyers, who he promised a 50% revenue in 45 days, Ponzi started the unlawful scheme.

In 1920, he was arrested for mail fraud.

3. 1921 – US mail truck theft

In 1921, Gerald Chapman and Dutch Anderson robbed a U.S. mail truck in New York City.

They went by way of the mail within the truck and acquired away with over $2.4 million in money and items, in accordance with the USPIS. This is able to have a price of over $41 million in the present day. 

It took many months for postal inspectors to lastly observe down the criminals, however on July 3, 1922, they have been caught. 

They ended up escaping jail and went again to partaking in crime. Chapman killed a police officer named James Skelly on Oct. 12, 1924, in accordance with the Nationwide Postal Museum, and was arrested in January the next yr. He was executed on April 26, 1926, in accordance with the supply.

Anderson was caught on Oct. 31, 1925, in accordance with the supply, however was killed in a gunfire alternate.

4. 1923 – The DeAutremont brothers

Brothers Roy, Ray and Hugh robbed a mail practice in 1923. 

This occurred in southern Oregon because the practice was leaving a tunnel, in accordance with the Nationwide Postal Museum. 

The door was blown open utilizing dynamite and a detonator, the supply defined, but it surely induced much more injury than anticipated.

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Hugh, Roy and Ray DeAutremont

It took a number of years to lastly discover the DeAutremont brothers, who robbed a mail practice and killed a number of. (Getty Photographs)

The mail clerk, Elvyn Dougherty, was killed, the automotive above was utterly destroyed and a lot of the mail was ruined, in accordance with the supply. 

The brothers shot the conductor of the practice in addition to the engineer and fireman. This ugly crime led to a virtually four-year manhunt. 

Hugh was the primary to be arrested in February 1927 whereas he was serving within the Military underneath a false identify, in accordance with the Nationwide Postal Museum, however he claimed to haven’t any data of the whereabouts of his brothers. 

Ray and Roy have been arrested a number of months later, with the media telling of Hugh’s seize. 

All three brothers have been sentenced to life in jail. All of them acquired parol, beginning with Hugh in 1959, Ray in 1961 and Roy in 1983, in accordance with the supply.

5. 1996 – ‘Unabomber’ arrested

In 1996, the “Unabomber,” Ted Kaczynski, was arrested after a 17-year investigation. 

His first home made bomb went off in 1978 at a college in Chicago, in accordance with the FBI.

Within the years following this preliminary bomb, Kaczynski delivered bombs each by hand and by mail that killed three Individuals and injured many extra. 

When he was arrested on April 3, 1996, investigators discovered bomb parts, 40,000 journal pages stuffed with bomb-making experiments, descriptions of crimes in addition to a reside bomb that was ready to be mailed, in accordance with the FBI.

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Ted Kaczynski mugshot

Ted Kaczynski delivered bombs by hand and by mail, killing three Individuals and injuring quite a few others. (Bureau of Prisons/Getty Photographs)

One other massive case that concerned the USPIS was in 2018, when home made bombs have been despatched by way of the mail throughout america to distinguished Democrat targets in Congress and the media.

In 2019, Cesar Altieri Sayoc admitted to mailing 16 improvised explosive gadgets to 13 folks across the nation, in accordance with the Division of Justice.

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