Clifton man pleads in check washing scheme

A Clifton Heights man has pleaded guilty to bank fraud and related offenses in federal court for his role in a mail theft scheme that netted approximately $171,000 in stolen checks and mail orders.

Gransae Manue, 21, also pleaded guilty to possession of stolen mail, robbery of a postal carrier and conspiracy charges before U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond. The plea came right before Manue was scheduled for trial.

Two Philadelphia men, Sam Wolo and Bruno Nyanue, also previously pleaded to charges of conspiracy, bank fraud, and aiding and abetting in mail theft and assault of a postal carrier in federal court for their roles in the scheme.

“The United States Postal Service provides an essential service to nearly every American, often conveying income, bills and expenses, which are the basis of many livelihoods,” U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero said in a previous release on the case. “If you choose to tamper with or steal U.S. mail for any reason, you can be assured that the federal government will conduct an intensive investigation and aggressive prosecution, as we intend to in this case.”

An indictment filed against the three defendants stated that they robbed a Postal Service letter carrier of his “arrow key” on Dec. 22, 2021. The special key allows carriers to access the blue collection boxes along their routes.

Wolo, Nyanue and Manue repeatedly opened collection boxes in the Drexel Hill section of Upper Darby and stole mail from December into February 2022.

The defendants allegedly took checks from the pilfered mail and “washed” them of their original payees and amounts, then made them payable to third parties, often in amounts greater than the checks’ original values, the feds said.

The checks were then deposited into the thirdparty accounts and, at least in some instances, portions of the fraudulent deposits were withdrawn.

The Postal Inspection Service and Upper Darby police found approximately 370 stolen checks and nine stolen money orders in Wolo’s apartment. The key, along with two stolen checks and two money orders, were also recovered from Wolo’s vehicle. The total value of the recovered checks and money orders was said to be more than $171,000.

Manue is scheduled for sentencing May 1. Nyanue is scheduled for sentencing Feb. 29 and Wolo is scheduled for sentencing Mar. 26. Each of the defendants faces decades in prison and fines totaling millions of dollars.