ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a man who embezzled $434,000 from a medical business in the St. Louis area to a year and a day in prison and ordered him to repay the money.
Talon Lewis’ embezzlement lasted from Oct. 21, 2019, through at least Feb. 19, 2025. At the time, he was an accounts payable specialist at a medical business. One of his jobs was to upload a list of patients who were owed refunds so the company could generate and mail refund checks to patients. Lewis had refunds sent to himself or to the homes of friends and acquaintances, sometimes using fake names, by adding those people to the patient refund lists. Lewis recruited 14 people to aid his scheme. Those friends and acquaintances then kicked back 30% of the money they fraudulently received to Lewis. He spent his share of the money on personal expenses and at local casinos.
As part of the sentence, Judge Sippel barred Lewis from gambling or entering gambling establishments during his three-year term of supervised release.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims including those most vulnerable,” said Acting Inspector in Charge, Nicholas Bucciarelli, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Domicile Office.
Lewis, 33, formerly of St. Charles, Missouri, pleaded guilty in January to one count of mail fraud.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman prosecuted the case.
