By: Richard L. Smith
A Brooklyn woman has been formally charged for her role in stealing over $167,000 from her former employer by intercepting and depositing checks meant for the business, as announced by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
Federal officials said in a statement that Ms. Kathryn Mountain, 36, faces one count of possession of stolen mail after her initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer on June 6, 2024. Mountain was subsequently released on a $100,000 unsecured bond.
The charge stems from actions that took place from December 2022 through July 2023.
During this period, Mountain orchestrated a fraudulent scheme involving the theft of mail from her previous employer.
According to court documents, she initiated a mail hold at a Newark post office, which diverted her former employer’s mail to the post office rather than its direct destination.
Posing as an active company representative, despite her prior termination, Mountain collected the mail and deposited checks intended for her former employer into her own bank account.
Mountain's fraudulent deposits totaled $272,940, though the actual financial loss attributed to her actions is estimated at $167,119.
If convicted, Mountain could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the possession of stolen mail.