Ringleader Sentenced in Columbus Multi-Million Dollar Mail Theft and Fraud Scheme

A Columbus man has been sentenced to prison for leading a multi-million dollar mail theft and financial fraud operation that targeted businesses and residents through stolen checks and counterfeit documents.

The investigation began in 2021, when the Columbus Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit uncovered a series of thefts from business mailboxes and U.S. Postal Service blue collection boxes. Stolen checks and copied account numbers were used to create counterfeit checks as part of a widespread “card cracking” scheme.

Detectives identified Drekian Aqui Dowdell as a primary suspect and later determined he was the ringleader of several related cases. Dowdell was arrested in 2022 as the investigation continued to reveal extensive financial losses in the Columbus area, with similar schemes appearing across the country.

Dowdell was scheduled for trial in June 2025. After jury selection and multiple denied motions from his defense team, he pleaded guilty to all charges. He was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by several years of probation.

The Columbus Police Department thanked Assistant District Attorney Colleen Gottfried and the District Attorney’s Office for their work in securing the conviction.