Pakistan Arrests Man Accused of $126 Million US Postal Stamp Fraud

Islamabad (Nazrana Times) Ali Imran Chattha 

Pakistani authorities have arrested a man accused by the United States of orchestrating an alleged fraud scheme that caused the US Postal Service (USPS) to lose approximately $126 million through counterfeit postage stamps, officials said.

The suspect was detained by Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) after US authorities filed charges against him and sought his arrest, reportedly through an Interpol Red Notice. Initial news agency reports did not consistently identify the suspect by name.

According to US prosecutors, the man allegedly operated an online scheme selling counterfeit US postage stamps at discounted prices. The operation reportedly resulted in losses of around $126 million in revenue for the USPS. The charges are expected to include mail fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy.

The US Embassy in Islamabad thanked Pakistani authorities for making the arrest. Extradition proceedings are expected to follow.

The US Postal Service has repeatedly warned customers about counterfeit postage stamps sold online at steep discounts, cautioning that such stamps may be invalid for mailing.

The arrest marks one of the largest reported counterfeit postage cases involving the US Postal Service.