A Chicago postal worker faces up to 20 years in federal prison after allegedly stealing over $51,000 in benefits by hiding her divorce and ex-husband’s death for more than a decade.
Story Highlights
- Graciela Venegas charged with wire fraud for collecting $51,776 in fraudulent workers’ compensation benefits
- Eleven-year scheme continued after 2013 divorce and ex-spouse’s 2014 death
- USPS spent $1.5 billion on workers’ compensation claims in fiscal year 2024
- Federal prosecutors say fraud undermines safety net for legitimately injured workers
Federal Charges Target Long-Running Benefit Fraud
Graciela Venegas, a 66-year-old Chicago postal employee also known as Graciela Salgado, was indicted December 22, 2025, on five counts of wire fraud and one count of making false statements to the Department of Labor. Federal prosecutors allege she collected $51,776 in unentitled augmented workers’ compensation benefits from 2013 to 2024. The case demonstrates how individual fraud schemes burden taxpayers and drive up costs across federal agencies.
Venegas sustained a legitimate workplace injury in 2012 and began receiving workers’ compensation benefits under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act. She claimed her spouse as a dependent, which entitled her to augmented payments totaling an additional 8⅓ percent of her pre-injury pay. However, prosecutors say she continued claiming these enhanced benefits after divorcing her husband in 2013 and even after his death in 2014.
USPS Chicago Employee Charged With Collecting $51K in Fraudulent Benefits, Feds Say https://t.co/GFeKN4eCqp
— Fearless45 (@Fearless45Trump) December 21, 2025
USPS Faces Mounting Compensation Costs
The United States Postal Service spent $1.5 billion on workers’ compensation claims during fiscal year 2024, according to Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop of the USPS Office of Inspector General. Bishop emphasized that while most claims are legitimate, “a certain percentage abuse the system,” costing millions annually in fraudulent payments and enforcement efforts. This case highlights the financial pressures facing USPS as compensation costs continue rising.
Under federal law, augmented benefits for dependents immediately cease upon divorce or death of the qualifying family member. Workers must promptly notify the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs of any status changes that affect their eligibility. The USPS Office of Inspector General investigation uncovered Venegas’s alleged failure to report these critical changes over an eleven-year period.
Federal Prosecutors Emphasize Accountability
U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros stated that workers’ compensation fraud “undermines financial stability” and “harms truly injured workers” who depend on the system. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The prosecution sends a clear message that federal agencies will aggressively pursue benefits fraud that drains taxpayer resources and threatens legitimate safety net programs.
Venegas is scheduled for arraignment January 6, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura K. McNally in Chicago’s federal courthouse. She remains presumed innocent until proven guilty. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Diya Rattan will represent the government in the case, which reflects broader federal efforts to combat public sector fraud and protect program integrity.
Sources:
USPS Chicago Employee Charged With Collecting $51K in Fraudulent Benefits, Feds Say
