D.A. Bragg Announces Indictment in Scheme to Steal Checks from the Mail


March 16, 2023

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the indictment of JOHNNY GREEN, 26, and ISAIAH SPAIN, 22, a United States Postal Service (“USPS”) worker, for operating a scheme to steal checks, including federal stimulus and state tax return checks, from the mail. GREEN, SPAIN and others would deposit the stolen checks into accomplices’ bank accounts then withdraw the funds as quickly as possible before the fraud was detected. During the course of the scheme, GREEN and SPAIN stole more than $700,000 worth of checks and withdrew over $100,000 in cash.  
 
GREEN and SPAIN are both charged in New York State Supreme Court with four counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, four counts of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree and one count of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree. GREEN is also charged with Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, Attempted Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, one additional count of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree and one additional count of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree. [1]

GREEN is also separately charged with a shooting in 2022. GREEN is charged with one count of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, two counts of Robbery in the First Degree, one count of Attempted Assault in the First Degree, four counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree and one count of Assault in the Second Degree. [1]

“White collar investigations can and do help us identify those who commit violent crimes,” said District Attorney Bragg. “As alleged, these two individuals perpetrated a scheme that victimized people who rely on the mail to deliver what’s rightfully theirs. Manhattanites should not have to worry that government employees will use their position to take advantage of them. By carefully investigating this scheme, we developed evidence that led to an arrest in a near-fatal shooting. I thank our partners at the USPS Inspector General’s Office for their work to protect the integrity of our mail system.”

“These defendants took advantage of the trust given to one of the co-conspirators by his employer, when they devised a scheme to steal from the U.S. Mail, an act that will never be tolerated,” said Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker. “Let there be no mistake, Postal Inspectors will use every resource to bring criminals to justice for crimes violating the sanctity of the U.S. Postal Service, no matter where they are found or who employs them.”

According to court documents and statements made on the record, GREEN sought out individuals such as bank tellers and postal employees who could provide him with checks in furtherance of the scheme. Among his sources of stolen checks was SPAIN, a mail carrier out of the Waldwick Post Office in New Jersey. From April 21, 2022, through October 18, 2022, SPAIN stole checks that were sent through the Waldwick Post Office, including checks from individuals along his mail route, and provided some of them to GREEN in exchange for a portion of the stolen proceeds.

GREEN, SPAIN and others would deposit the stolen checks into the bank accounts of accomplices then quickly withdraw the funds before the fraudulent deposit was detected and the account was closed. To obtain new bank accounts, GREEN and SPAIN recruited new accomplices by posting images to their Instagram accounts flaunting the proceeds of their fraud, as well as images that contained coded, cryptic language directing accomplices who had accounts with particular banks to contact them.
 
GREEN and SPAIN communicated with each other over Instagram frequently to discuss their scheme. In one instance, on April 21, 2022, GREEN (@THEREAL.GLIZZZZY) exchanged direct messages with SPAIN (@ZAYYTHEGOD) discussing stimulus checks and other bank accounts, saying:

THEREAL.GLIZZZZY: What’s the amount you got on them stims ?
ZAYYTHEGOD: 12k,110k,5k,4K

THEREAL.GLIZZZZY: I’m a drop on dusty wells or chev … I got a dust wells too

Separately, on August 24, 2022, in front of a residential building on West 159th Street, GREEN fired several gunshots at another person during an attempted robbery. A third person returned fire, and two people were struck by the gunshots, including a bystander who was struck in the head. GREEN was identified as the alleged shooter when the 9 mm semi-automatic firearm he used that day was recovered from his apartment, pursuant to a search warrant executed for the bank fraud investigation, and ballistically matched shell casings found at the crime scene. 
 
Assistant D.A. Kelly Thomas (Deputy Chief of the Financial Frauds Bureau) is handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A. Kofi Sansculotte (Chief of the Financial Frauds Bureau) and Executive Assistant D.A. Susan Hoffinger (Chief of the Investigation Division). The investigation was conducted jointly with Assistant D.A. Andrew Mercer (Violent Criminal Enterprises Unit), who is handling the prosecution of the shooting. Paralegal Max Stahl, Investigative Analyst Henry Newton, Assistant D.A. Christopher Prevost (Chief of the Violent Criminal Enterprises Unit) and Executive Assistant D.A. for Gun Violence Prevention Peter Pope provided additional support and supervision.

Senior Investigators Frank Toro and former Senior Rackets Investigator Michael O’Brien provided assistance with the investigation, under the supervision of Sergeant Max Adler, Jonathan Reid (Assistant Chief of the Investigation Bureau) and Michael Wigdor (Assistant Chief Racket Investigator). United States Postal Service Postal Inspector Jamon Parham provided additional assistance with the investigation, under the supervision of Virginia Faughnan (Postal Inspector Team Leader).

Defendant Information:
 
JOHNNY GREEN
New York, New York
 
Charged:

  • Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, a class B felony, one count
  • Robbery in the First Degree, a class B felony, two counts
  • Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, four counts
  • Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, one count
  • Attempted Assault in the First Degree, a class C felony, one count
  • Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, a class D felony, five counts
  • Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree, a class D felony, five counts
  • Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count
  • Attempted Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class E felony, one count
  • Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony, one count

ISAIAH SPAIN
New York, New York
 
Charged:

  • Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, a class D felony, four counts
  • Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree, a class D felony, four counts
  • Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony, one count

[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.

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