Former USPS employees plead guilty to stealing mail, fraudulently filing PPP loans, authorities say

ATLANTA — Two former United States Postal Service employees have pleaded guilty to crimes that include stealing cash, gift cards, and other items, as well as fraudulently obtaining two pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program Loans, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

Based on documents presented in court, in 2023 and 2024, 35-year-old Daniqua Clark and 41-year-old Deneeka Ferguson worked as mail recovery clerks at the Mail Recovery Center in Atlanta, the USPS’s official “lost and found” department for undeliverable and non-returnable mail.

During that time, investigators say Clark worked with Ferguson to steal items from the mail at the Mail Recovery Center, with the two exchanging text messages identifying specific items to steal and discussing how to steal and conceal them, which included U.S. currency.

Clark admitted to stealing items from the mail in November of 2024 during an interview with law enforcement agents on her own and with Ferguson. A search of Clark’s locker at the postal service and personal car also led to items like gift cards, fragrances, and a pill bottle — all items detectives say were stolen.

“Clark abused the public’s trust by stealing thousands of dollars of items from the mail and obtaining two fraudulent PPP loans for a non-existent business while serving as a federal employee,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out and hold accountable government employees who compromise their integrity and violate the public’s trust for their own personal gain.”

The investigation further revealed that Clark obtained $32,402 fraudulently through two PPP loans for a non-existent business. Court documents show that to support her application for the loans, Clark submitted a fake income tax document. 

Detectives say the funds from the loans were deposited into the same bank account Clark used to receive her USPS salary, and she used them for personal expenses rather than payroll expenses as required for PPP loans.

Clark pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit mail theft, one count of mail theft, and two counts of wire fraud. Ferguson pleaded guilty to five counts of obstruction of mail. Both women will be sentenced before a U.S. District judge on June 11. 

“This guilty plea sends a strong message to any U.S. Postal Service employee who decides to violate the public’s trust in this manner,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG). “As proven in this case, our criminal investigators and the legal teams at the U.S. Attorney’s Office will diligently pursue anyone who steals U.S. Mail and attempts to commit COVID-19 fraud and exploit programs created to help legitimate people and businesses affected by the global pandemic.”