Florida Couple Pleads Guilty To Mail Fraud Conspiracy

BOSTON - A husband and wife from Cape Coral, Fla., pleaded guilty today to mail fraud involving the theft of more than $210,000.

Michelle Minihan, 49, and James Minihan, 51, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraud. The Minihans who were charged in February, are scheduled for sentencing on June 18, 2014.

Michelle Minihan worked for an individual who ran a court-reporting and transcription business. Her duties included, among other things, payroll, invoicing, accounting, and processing payments to the company. She was also responsible for depositing checks from clients into the company’s bank account.

In 2007, Michele and James Minihan moved to Florida, but Michelle Minihan continued to work for the company, receiving the company checks that she was supposed to deposit by mail. Beginning in August 2008, the Minihans began depositing the company’s checks into their own personal bank accounts and using the proceeds of these converted checks for their own personal use. Michelle Minihan attempted to cover up the scheme by falsifying the company’s accounting records. In total, between 2008 and 2013, they stole more than $210,000 in checks.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Eric P. Christofferson of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit.