MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WRBL) — A Phenix City man and a Hoschton man have been charged in federal court for their alleged roles in a scheme to acquire and sell counterfeit U.S. postage stamps worth at least $1.7 million, according to U.S. Department of Justice officials.
On April 21, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 48-year-old Kevin Douglas Padgett, of Phenix City, Ala., and 55-year-old John Patrick Best, of Hoschton, Ga., with conspiracy to commit money laundering related to the purchase and distribution of large quantities of counterfeit postage stamps.
“The defendants are accused of moving approximately $1.7 million in proceeds through multiple bank accounts in an effort to disguise the source and ownership of their illicit profits from the counterfeit postage stamps scheme,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office. “Although individuals may attempt to disguise illicit profits through intricate financial maneuvers, IRS Criminal Investigation special agents excel at unraveling complex money flows and revealing the hidden trail they leave behind.”…