A former U.S. Postal employee has been found guilty for his involvement in a scheme that supplied stolen checks to a Telegram channel known as "The Lucky Shop." The announcement came from U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector-in-Charge Mona Hernandez of the Houston Division, and United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis.
Michael Christopher Rowser, 24, from Birmingham, was convicted after three days of testimony before U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala. He faced charges of conspiracy to receive bribes and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud.
During the trial, evidence showed that "The Lucky Shop" operated as a scam Telegram channel focused on selling stolen checks and bank login information. Corrupt postal employees like Rowser would supply these stolen checks to the administrators of the channel, who would then market them by posting redacted copies for sale. Customers purchasing these checks provided profits that were partially shared with Rowser. It was revealed that he received approximately $106,000 in bribe payments over a year for supplying checks to the channel while working as a mail handler at the U.S. Postal Service's Processing & Distribution Center in Birmingham.
Rowser is set to be sentenced on April 7, 2025.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward J. Canter and Daniel S. McBrayer are prosecuting the case.