The Washington Examiner reports that David Kosturko, the US Postal Service’s Assistant Treasurer of Banking and Customer Relations, has pleaded guilty to embezzling $17,000 from USPS. David Kosturko, 57, would book multiple plane tickets for business trips — some more expensive than others — and travel using the inexpensive ticket. Kosturko would then request reimbursement from the Postal Service for the more expensive flight, leaving surplus money on his government-issued credit and debit travel card. He would also request to be reimbursed multiple times for hotel charges, according to court statements. Postal Service worker embezzled travel funds

According to court documents:

In Kosturko’s position of Assistant Treasurer of Banking and Customer Relations to USPS, he oversaw all electronic payments made by customers and was responsible for managing the incoming payment processes for credit and debit cards, Automated Clearing House and wire payments. Kosturko joined the USPS in 2004 and was promoted to his current “offcially” position in 2011. Kosturko’ annual salary is  $121,033 Yr.

In sum, from March 2007 to October 2011, Kosturko fraudulently obtained reimbursement for $17,346.40 in travel expenses that he did not occur, which he spent on personal purchases and unauthorized cash withdrawals. The postal exec has agreed to repay all of the $17,346.40.

Here is the press release from the U.S. Attorney’ Office:

WASHINGTON – David Kosturko, a former executive of the U.S. Postal Service, pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from his embezzlement of more than $17,000 from the agency, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Curtis Lembke, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service.

Kosturko, 57, of Amissville, Va., entered his guilty plea to one count of theft of government monies before the Honorable Magistrate Judge John M. Facciola of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. No sentencing date was set. Kosturko faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years of imprisonment. Under federal guidelines, Kosturko likely faces a sentencing range of up to six months in prison.

According to a statement of offense agreed to by the government and Kosturko, the defendant was an Assistant Treasurer with the U.S. Postal Service and commonly traveled throughout the United States in that position. To pay expenses associated with this travel, Kosturko used his government-issued travel card, which functioned as a credit and debit card.

During his time with the Postal Service, Kosturko often booked multiple airline tickets for a single business trip. He would travel on the less expensive flight, but then falsely claim to the Postal Service that he had flown on the more expensive flight. Kosturko would request and receive reimbursement for the more expensive flight, even though the fare had been automatically refunded to his travel card when he did not board the flight, thereby leading to a surplus on his travel card. Kosturko also requested reimbursement for hotel charges when those charges had already been refunded to him.

For the years 2007-2011, on 35 occasions, Kosturko requested and received reimbursement travel expenses that he did not incur, resulting in a loss of over $17,000 to the Postal Service. Kosturko spent these fraudulently obtained funds on personal purchases such as home improvement and entertainment at restaurants and night clubs.

In announcing today’s guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen and Special Agent in Charge Lembke commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General. They also praised the work of members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Legal Assistant Angela Lawrence, Paralegal Specialist Lenisse Edloe, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Kavanaugh, who is prosecuting the case.