Pakistani National Indicted in US Over Alleged $126 Million Counterfeit Postage Scheme

MIAMI: A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida has indicted a Pakistani national for allegedly operating an online counterfeit postage scheme that prosecutors say caused more than $126 million in losses to the United States Postal Service (USPS).

According to court records cited by US authorities, Faheem Akram, 33, of Khanewal, Pakistan, allegedly operated LabelsBank.com, a website accused of selling counterfeit US postage labels at heavily discounted fixed prices.

Prosecutors allege that the website typically charged around $2 per shipping label, regardless of a package’s weight, dimensions or destination. LabelsBank.com was not authorized to sell USPS products or services, according to the indictment.

US authorities allege that the counterfeit labels enabled customers to ship packages at rates substantially below legitimate USPS charges, resulting in significant losses in postal revenue and shipping costs.

According to the investigation, more than 5,200 individuals allegedly used the website to purchase over 5.1 million counterfeit shipping labels, resulting in claimed losses exceeding $126 million to USPS.

US Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida described the alleged operation as simple in its method but massive in scale, saying customers were able to avoid legitimate postal charges by purchasing counterfeit postage at cut-rate prices.

In connection with the indictment, authorities also obtained a court order authorizing the seizure and shutdown of the website.

The US Postal Inspection Service said the investigation demonstrates its ability to pursue alleged postal fraud beyond US borders, particularly schemes involving counterfeit postage and American consumers.

Akram has been charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make and sell counterfeit postage stamps, five counts related to allegedly making and selling counterfeit postage labels, and four counts of wire fraud.

If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of five years in prison on the conspiracy and counterfeit-postage counts and up to 20 years on each wire-fraud count, according to US prosecutors. Any sentence would ultimately be determined by the federal court under applicable US law.

The *USPIS Miami Division* is investigating the case, while Assistant US Attorneys Jon Juenger and Jacqueline DerOvanesian are prosecuting it. Assistant US Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset-forfeiture proceedings.

The allegations contained in an indictment are accusations, and Akram is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.