SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Sarasota postal worker was accused of stealing checks from mail totaling $70,000.

The Sarasota Police Department said Anabel Ossombi, 27, of Bradenton, allegedly stole 75 checks between May 2022 and April 2023 and had them deposited in her account.

The USPS Office of Inspector General and Sarasota police began looking into the alleged fraud after they received complaints from two companies who said two of their customers never received their checks.

Detectives obtained a subpoena to search bank records, which indicated a total of $70,109.28 was deposited fraudulently, according to a release from the Sarasota Police Department. The alleged fraud resulted in 60 complaints from victims.

Representatives from 13 of the affected companies told detectives they sent the checks through USPS and confirmed they were either dropped off at the post office or picked up by a mail carrier. Detectives said Ossombi worked as a mail sorter at the three Sarasota USPS locations.

Ossombi was arrested at the Beneva Road post office on Wednesday and booked into the Sarasota County Jail. She was charged with criminal use of personal identification (with over 30 victims), scheme to defraud (totaling over $50,000), and money laundering. 

Sarasota police said detectives believe there could be additional victims in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Jessica Sullivan at (941) 263-6076, or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling (941) 366-TIPS, or online at the Sarasota Crime Stoppers website.