Alfonso Forney, a 45-year-old Brooklyn man, is facing serious charges after allegedly pulling off a string of crimes, including a gunpoint robbery of a postal worker. The feds hit Forney with a 10-count indictment, accusing him of everything from mail theft to bank fraud and identity theft.
Forney appeared in court on Friday, May 31, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Marutollo in federal court in Downtown Brooklyn.
“The safety of our mail carriers is essential to ensuring the unobstructed flow of goods, checks and information through the United States Postal Service,” said Breon Peace, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District in New York. “The defendant’s pattern of violent behavior endeavored to turn this vital system into his own personal pipeline for theft and fraud.”
According to the indictment and court documents, Forney is accused of participating in two distinct criminal schemes involving robbery, mail theft and identity theft.
From January 2023 to December 2023, Forney, along with accomplices, allegedly committed armed robberies targeting USPS mail carriers. The goal was to steal “arrow keys,” universal keys granting access to various postal boxes within a certain area. Utilizing these arrow keys, Forney and his accomplices stole mail, particularly focusing on checks, which they either cashed or deposited into Forney’s bank accounts.
The identity theft scheme spanned from January 2024 to March 2024. In this scheme, Forney allegedly impersonated another individual, referred to as the victim, to gain fraudulent access to the victim’s bank accounts. He accomplished this by altering the address on the victim’s driver’s license to his own address and ordering a duplicate of the license to his residence.
With access to the victim’s bank accounts, Forney reportedly withdrew at least $245,000, depositing a portion into his accounts. He also used the victim’s identity to secure a $25,000 automobile loan, which he used to purchase a vehicle in the victim’s name.
If convicted, Forney could face up to 39 years behind bars.
