LI Postal Worker Stole More Than $70K In Costco Rewards: DA

BAY SHORE NY — A United States postal worker was arrested Monday after he cashed in thousands of dollars’ worth of Costco reward checks meant for residents served by the Bay Shore post office, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said Tuesday.

Gerome Fowler, 32, of North Babylon, was charged with third-degree grand larceny, petit larceny, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, and official misconduct, Tierney said.

According to an investigation, between December 26, 2021 and May 22, 2022, Fowler used more than $6,000 of stolen Costco reward checks that should have been delivered to Costco members, prosecutors said.

On one occasion, on April 25, Fowler stole a reward check valued at $126.17 from the Bay Shore post office that Fowler was supposed to deliver to a resident on his mail route. Instead, on April 29, Fowler used the check to purchase items at Costco, using his own Costco account, prosecutors said.

Video surveillance also captured Fowler redeeming the reward checks at Costco stores throughout Suffolk County and converting them for his own private use, officials said. During the incidents, Fowler was employed as a mail carrier at the Bay Shore post office, located at Fifth Avenue in Bay Shore, Tierney said.

A Costco employee notified Costco management that Fowler had been observed redeeming
numerous Costco reward certificates, Tierney said.

The investigation also revealed that since February, 2020, more than $70,000 in Costco reward
certificates were redeemed in connection with Fowler’s membership account, prosecutors said. That amount was grossly disproportionate to whatever rewards Fowler would actually be entitled to based upon purchases made at Costco under the membership account, officials said.

“This defendant allegedly abused his position as a postal employee to violate the private mail of unsuspecting residents and steal their reward funds for his own personal use,” said Tierney. “We stand with our law enforcement partners to deliver the message that, if you misuse your position to exploit victims and steal other people’s property, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Fowler was arrested on Monday and arraigned in Central Islip on Tuesday, Tierney said.

He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court on August 25.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office asked customers in the Bay Shore postal
area who suspect they may be victims of the theft to contact Costco immediately if they believe their funds have been stolen.