Posted on: March 01, 2025 07:45 AM

Share : Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp

Queens man sentenced to prison after accused of defrauding TJX stores in 30 states including Western NY

A man from Queens, N.Y., has been sentenced to prison by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea, as he has been accused of defrauding TJX stores across the country of more than $400,000, including stores in the Western N.Y. region.

Chester Culler, 48, has been accused of committing more than 800 acts of theft and fraudulent transactions between July 2020 and February 2024, according to court documents and statements made in court.

Court documents and court statements also said that Culler would steal merchandise from a TJX store, would return the stolen merchandise to a TJX store to receive a TJX gift card, would take that receipt and alter it to make it look like he paid for those items with cash to get a cash refund.

The stores Culler hit included TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods and other stores in places such as Rochester, Pittsford, Victor, Canandaigua and other areas in and outside of Western N.Y, said the District of Connecticut.

Culler was arrested on Feb. 7, 2024 by Wethersfield Police after they responded to a complaint call from a loss prevention investigator at a Marshall’s in Wethersfield, C.T, according to the District of Connecticut.

Culler was initially charged with Connecticut state offenses, and subsequently by a federal criminal complaint issued in the Western District of New York. The federal case was then transferred to the District of Connecticut.