Two Former Danbury Residents Involved In U.S. Postal Money Order Fraud Scheme Are Sentenced

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that two former residents of Danbury were sentenced yesterday in Hartford federal court for participating in a conspiracy involving the theft of monies from the U.S. Postal Service.  U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea sentenced TONY STERLIN CANTAVE, 34, to 13 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, and VENUS VERGES, 34, to three years of probation, during which she must perform 100 hours of community service.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between August and October 2013, CANTAVE and VERGES purchased U.S. Postal Service money orders in amounts ranging from $400 to $1000 at post offices in Stamford, Bridgeport, Greenwich, and lower Westchester County, N.Y.  After the money orders were purchased, the defendants used a mobile banking application to deposit the funds into bank accounts they controlled.  Shortly after depositing the funds, the defendants returned to the post offices from which the respective money orders had been purchased, failed to disclose that they had deposited the funds, returned the money orders and were refunded their money.

CANTAVE and VERGES stole approximately $12,300 from the U.S. Postal Service during the course of this scheme.

CANTAVE and VERGES were arrested on June 20, 2014.  On August 20, 2014, CANTAVE pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to convert public money and two counts of conversion of public money, and VERGES pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to convert public money and one count of conversion of public money.

Judge Shea ordered both defendants to pay full restitution.

This matter was by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John H. Durham.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov