US offers $100,000 reward for Pakistani man charged over $126M counterfeit postage site
The US Postal Inspection Service is offering up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Faheem Akram, indicted in Florida over the LabelsBank.com counterfeit postage site. Coverage differs on where he is believed to be: one outlet places him in Florida, the other in Khanewal, Punjab.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2The US Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Faheem Akram, a 33-year-old Pakistani national charged over a counterfeit postage scheme. The Media LineN “The US Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Pakistani national Faheem Akram” Read at The Media Line ↗ The Times of IndiaN “US Postal Inspection Service was offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to Akram's arrest and conviction” Read at The Times of India ↗ Centre · 2According to court records and the US Department of Justice, Akram allegedly operated LabelsBank.com, a website not authorised to sell USPS products that sold counterfeit US postage, typically at $2 per label regardless of a package's weight, size or destination. The Times of IndiaN “LabelsBank.com was not authorized to sell USPS products and services.” Read at The Times of India ↗ The Media LineN “typically for $2 each, regardless of a package’s weight, size or destination” Read at The Media Line ↗ Centre · 2The indictment alleges that more than 5,200 customers bought more than 5.1 million counterfeit labels, causing more than $126 million in losses to the US Postal Service. The Times of IndiaN “over 5,200 individuals used LabelsBank.com to purchase more than 5.1 million counterfeit shipping labels” Read at The Times of India ↗ The Media LineN “resulting in more than $126 million in losses to the US Postal Service, according to the DOJ” Read at The Media Line ↗
Centre · 2A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida indicted Akram, and US authorities obtained a court order to seize the domain and shut the website down. The Media LineN “a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida indicted Akram” Read at The Media Line ↗ The Times of IndiaN “the website has been shut down, the domain seized, and federal charges brought against its alleged operator” Read at The Times of India ↗ Centre · 2Akram faces one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make and sell counterfeit postage stamps, five counts of making and selling counterfeit postage stamp labels, and four counts of wire fraud; the maximum penalty is five years in prison on the conspiracy and counterfeit postage counts and 20 years on each wire fraud count. The Times of IndiaN “five counts of making and selling counterfeit postage stamp labels, and four counts of wire fraud” Read at The Times of India ↗ The Media LineN “up to 20 years on each wire fraud count if convicted” Read at The Media Line ↗ Centre · 2US Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida called the alleged scheme "simple but massive" and, in a social media post, asked the public to call Postal Inspectors at 1-877-876-2455 and say "Law Enforcement", warning people not to try to apprehend Akram themselves. The Times of IndiaN “Do not attempt to apprehend him yourself," the social media post said.” Read at The Times of India ↗ The Media LineN “described the alleged operation as “simple but massive,”” Read at The Media Line ↗
Centre · 2The Media Line reports that Akram is a resident of Khanewal, Punjab, Pakistan, while the Times of India headline describes him as a Pakistani man in Florida; neither piece says where he is now. The Media LineN “Akram, a resident of Khanewal, Punjab, is wanted in connection with an alleged scheme” Read at The Media Line ↗ The Times of IndiaN “Pakistani man in Florida creates website to sell fake US postage labels” Read at The Times of India ↗ Centre · 1According to a Khanewal police source cited by The Media Line, preliminary information indicates Akram lives in People's Colony in Khanewal, studied software engineering, and may have worked with one of his brothers; relatives and residents say he started a US-related online business two or three years ago and his finances improved quickly. The Media LineN “Akram is a resident of People’s Colony in Khanewal and has studied software engineering.”“one of Akram’s brothers allegedly worked with him” Read at The Media Line ↗ Centre · 1Police have also received information that Akram and his brother left Pakistan when the US legal proceedings began, but this has not been conclusively verified. Pakistani officials say US authorities have not yet formally contacted Pakistan, and Pakistani authorities are still gathering information on him. The Media LineN “this information has not yet been conclusively verified”“US authorities have not yet formally contacted Pakistan in connection with the case” Read at The Media Line ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets lead with the reward and the $126 million loss, relaying the DOJ's allegations with the nationality of the suspect in the headline. The Times of India stresses the fraud's simplicity and scale; The Media Line adds Pakistani local police and official reaction.
- Emphasis
- Scale of losses, the $2 label price, charges and penalties; The Media Line adds Khanewal background and Pakistan's response.
- Leaves out or plays down
- The Times of India gives no Pakistani-side information or location of the suspect beyond its headline. The Media Line does not mention the public tip line or the warning against apprehending him.
- Charged language
- “simple but massive”
- For example
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“It was a simple but massive fraud.” — The Times of India
“DOJ Offers $100,000 Reward for Pakistani Suspect in $126 Million Postal Scam” — The Media Line
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Faheem Akram, 33, is charged over the LabelsBank.com counterfeit postage site.
- The indictment alleges more than 5.1 million counterfeit labels sold to more than 5,200 customers and more than $126 million in losses.
- The Postal Inspection Service offers up to $100,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
- He faces one conspiracy count, five counterfeit postage counts and four wire fraud counts.
Where accounts differ
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Where Akram is based
- Centre
- The Times of India headline calls him a Pakistani man in Florida; The Media Line says he is a resident of Khanewal, Punjab, and may have left Pakistan, which is unverified.
United States Postal Inspection Service organisation
Offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to Akram's arrest and conviction, and asking the public to call its tip line rather than confront him.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction.” — The Times of India
United States Postal Service organisation
Described as the victim, with more than $126 million in alleged losses from counterfeit labels sold by an unauthorised site.
“resulting in more than $126 million in losses to the US Postal Service, according to the DOJ” — The Media Line
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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Neutral Reports the DOJ allegations and reward, emphasising the scheme's simplicity and scale, with the suspect's nationality in the headline; states the fraud as fact in its opening lines before 'allegedly' appears.
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DOJ Offers $100,000 Reward for Pakistani Suspect in $126 Million Postal Scam
Neutral Relays DOJ allegations and adds Pakistani police and official information on the suspect's background in Khanewal, noting unverified claims.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 5 Oct 15:00 First The Times of IndiaN Pakistani man in Florida creates website to sell fake US postage labels; $100K reward announced for his information
- 8 Oct 13:25 +70h 25m The Media LineN DOJ Offers $100,000 Reward for Pakistani Suspect in $126 Million Postal Scam
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.