An Arlington man has been ordered to pay $353,441.42 to the United States for defrauding the United States Postal Service.
As postmaster from 2010 until 2015, Craig Christeson falsely certified receipt of spoiled postage meter strips, printed and cashed money orders, then kept the money. On June 27, 2016, Christeson pleaded guilty to Theft of Government Funds, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $8,970.71
The U.S. Attorney’s Office then brought a civil action pursuant to the False Claims Act , the Government’s primary litigation tool in combating fraud. Persons who submit a false claim must pay a civil penalty between $5,500 and $11,000 for each false claim, plus three times the amount of damages the government sustained.
The Court has ordered Christeson to pay a civil judgment of $353,441.42 to the United States.
District Judge Karen E. Schreier noted that the fraud was intentional, and that it continued over multiple years. Criminal restitution, penalties, and debts obtained by fraud are not dischargeable in bankruptcy.
(U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of South Dakota)