Impostor Pastor Charged In Fraud Scheme

PHILADELPHIA – Mark Postell, 52, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by indictment, unsealed today, on one count of wire fraud announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

According to the indictment, on April 28, 2015, Postell impersonated a pastor with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the purpose of fraudulently cashing a refund check issued to the church by PECO.  The refund check, in the amount of $183,698.82, was for overbilling and was mailed to an address used by the church.  Postell presented the check at a check cashing store and represented to the owner that he was a pastor with the church, that he, in fact, lived at the address on the check, and that he was authorized to cash the check, none of which was true.  After the check was deposited and processed by the bank, Postell returned to the check casher to retrieve the cash.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years of in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurie Magid.

An Indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.