Postman Steals $400,000 From Disabled Vet

 By Gary Snyder

Peter Saraceno admitted stealing $400,000 from a customer on his mail route, a veteran like himself whom he befriended and helped for seven years. His embezzling has left the disabled elderly man destitute and living in the VA hospital in Batavia.

Saraceno helped the victim move into a better house, ran errands for him and washed his clothes. The friendship grew to the point where Saraceno eventually became a joint account holder on one of the victim’s bank accounts.

Saraceno made ATM withdrawals, wrote checks to himself and made wire transfers between 2006 and February of this year, the prosecutors said.

He admitted spending the money on casino gambling

Saraceno blamed post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from exposure to Agent Orange when he was in the military more than 40 years ago. He said PTSD prompted him to steal the money starting in 2006 and gamble it away at area casinos.

The judge expressed doubts. “You had a pretty good lifestyle,” the judge told the defendant.

The judge imposed the minimum prison sentence and ordered restitution. The judge sentenced him to one to three years in prison.

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