South Jersey USPS manager admits to spending over $50,000 on company cards

NEW JERSEY (WPVI) -- A U.S. Postal Service manager from New Jersey has admitted to misappropriating postal service funds.

Austin Mahan, 44, of Cape May Court House pleaded guilty before a U.S. district judge on Monday.

He now faces up to 10 years in prison.

Prosecutors say he used postal service credit cards to make personal purchases including a vacuum, gift cards, and tools.

"Usually, they're very nice here. For him to be stealing, that's taking trust from us," said Antoinette Lavook of Atlantic City.

Regulars at the Atlantic City post office were upset to learn the former post office manager misused credit cards, charging more than $54,000 in what prosecutors call personal purchases.

Mahan was accused of misappropriating postal funds between September 2022 and February 2023.

He was a manager at post office locations in Sea Isle City, Somers Point, and Atlantic City.

Authorities say it was an employee in Sea Isle City who alerted law enforcement last February about the suspicious purchases from retail stores in multiple states.

Detectives say the vast majority of the purchases he made with USPS credit cards had no business purpose.

Those purchases include groceries, toiletries, LED fog lights for his personal vehicle, home decor, tools, and a Dyson cordless vacuum.

Post office customers were surprised and alarmed.

"It does concern me," said Atlantic City resident Sam Johnson. "Because the post office is very important for you to send stuff and get stuff. Yeah, it's very concerning."

Action News tried to reach Mahan on Tuesday. His attorney had no comment.

He could also have to pay a maximum fine of $250,000.

He is scheduled to be sentenced in September.