A former U.S. Postal Service employee in Rensselaer County admitted to stealing more than $76,000 by issuing fake money orders to himself.
Matthew Dundas, 26, of Petersburgh, pleaded guilty Tuesday to money order fraud, federal prosecutors said.
Investigators say Dundas created 105 fraudulent money orders between January 2023 and September 2024 while working for the USPS. He didn’t pay for them — instead, he pocketed the money, stealing a total of $76,976.61 from the federal government.
“Stealing from the government is a serious crime under any circumstance,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III, “but it is especially shocking when the perpetrator is a public servant engaged in self-dealing.”
The case was investigated by the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Postal Service. Special Agent in Charge Matthew M. Modafferi said the agency is committed to holding employees accountable when they abuse the public’s trust.
“This case serves as an excellent example of the successful collaboration between the USPS OIG and the U.S Attorney’s Office,” Modafferi said.
Dundas is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14 before U.S. District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. He faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
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