2 Hudson Valley Postal Workers Stole Hundreds Of Gift Cards From The Mail: DOJ

WHITE PLAINS, NY — If that gift card you sent for your niece's birthday never arrived, there might be a surprising reason.

Feds say two Hudson Valley U.S. Postal workers helped themselves to gift cards from the mail.

Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, and Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Area Field Office of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Matthew M. Modafferi, announced that Pian Pian Wong-Tam, a former United States Postal Service Mail Processing Clerk in White Plains, and William Wong, a former USPS Mail Clerk in Millwood, were presented. in federal court on charges that they engaged in a scheme and conspiracy in which Wong-Tam took mail, stole gift cards and other items out of that mail, and then, together with Wong, used those gift cards and other items.

"The charges against the defendants reflect this office’s and our law enforcement partners’ continued commitment to ensuring the integrity of the U.S. postal system," McDonald said. "As alleged, Pian Pian Wong-Tam stole more than 200 gift cards out of mail entrusted to her for processing, and then, together with William Wong, used those gift cards for their own benefit, abusing their positions of trust and victimizing hundreds of people in the process. The complaint against Wong-Tam and Wong should send a clear message that stealing from the mail entrusted to USPS for delivery is a serious federal offense that will not be tolerated."

According to the Complaint, Wong-Tam was working as a Mail Processing Clerk at the USPS White Plains Processing & Distribution Center, while Wong was working as a Mail Clerk at a post office in Millwood.

After receiving a series of customer complaints about mail that had been processed through the P&DC being delivered damaged, with expected gift cards missing, USPS investigators say that their probe revealed that, from April 2025 to July 24, 2026, Wong-Tam took advantage of her position of trust at the processing facility to steal, among other things, gift cards from the mail she was responsible for processing. Wong-Tam then shared the gift cards she stole with Wong and, together, they used those gift cards at a variety of businesses in multiple states, according to postal inspectors.

"Misconduct by postal employees undermines the trust placed in the Postal Service and will not be tolerated," Modafferi said. The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General remains committed to protecting the integrity of the Postal Service and ensuring accountability. We appreciate the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its partnership in this investigation."

The pairs’s scheme resulted in the theft of more than 200 gift cards, ranging in value from $25 to $500 each.

Wong-Tam, 59, and Wong 57, both New York City residents, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to steal and unlawfully possess mail, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of unlawful possession of mail, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and two counts of access device fraud, which each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Wong-Tam is also charged with one count of theft of mail by a Postal Service officer or employee, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Deal is in charge of the prosecution.