Postal employee stole coworkers’ identities, was found with 50 fake IDs, authorities say

TRENTON — A janitor who worked at the United States Postal Service's processing and distribution center in the city used his access to the personal information of some of his colleagues to file phony insurance claims, an indictment alleges.

Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino said 33-year-old Jersey City resident Kayson Allen filed claims worth more than $14,000 for items including jewelry, cell phone and cash from Sept. 1, 2012 until Sept. 19, 2013. During that time, Porrino said, Allen made fake IDs using the personal information of some of his colleagues, which he used to file the bogus claims.

"This defendant exploited his position as a government employee to gain access to the personal information of others, which he then allegedly parlayed into a series of false identities used to carry out his crimes," Porrino said. "It is especially disturbing that he callously preyed on fellow postal workers as unwitting pawns in his criminal enterprise."

Allen's claims stretched the length of the east coast, including a claims for stolen jewelry in Camden and Niagra Falls New York, and a watch and money in Tampa Florida, authorities said. Porrino said all but one of the claims were paid by the insurance companies.

The investigation started when he was stopped by US Customs and Border Protection after a one-day trip to Canada in September 2013, Porrino said. He had more than 50 identification documents from other people, Porrino said. That allegedly included Social Security numbers, fake drivers licenses, and other documents.

Allen was with second-degree insurance fraud, identity theft and trafficking in stolen identities, as well as third-degree theft by deception and attempted theft by deception. The second-degree charges carry a penalty of five to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $150,000. The third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.

Lu said anyone with information about insurance cheating and fraud can call a toll free hotline at 1-877-55-fraud, or visit their NJ Insurance Fraud.

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Contact reporter Adam Hochron at 609-359-5326 or Adam.Hochron@townsquaremedia.com