In an operation that reads more like a modern-day treasure heist than a garden-variety crime story, a Memphis-based FedEx employee, Antwone Tate, is accused of turning his logistics expertise into an ill-fated side hustle. Rather than delivering precious packages to eager recipients, it appears Tate was concocting his own retirement plan, albeit one riddled with legal oversights and some very traceable transactions.
Tate’s alleged escapades are now the subject of theft charges, following the disappearance of several high-value items from the FedEx Memphis Hub. The proverbial pea under the mattress that alerted FedEx's Loss Prevention team was the vanishing of an $8,500 diamond ring. Soon after, nearly $14,000 in gold bars joined the ring on the list of Forever Lost Treasures. These items, unsurprisingly absent from any camouflaged hideout scene, instead turned up rather openly in a local pawn shop. In a heist faux pas, Tate had used his own driver’s license, leaving a bright breadcrumb trail for investigators to follow.
Now, this is the kind of story that makes for rich folklore, the whispered campfire tales where one man's misguided ingenuity rubs against the grain of corporate trust. But we're not done yet. The plot thickens with the third missing package, filled with tangible baseball history. We're talking a 1915 Cracker Jack Chief Bender card and a 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Ty Cobb card, the kind that glints in the eyes of collectors and appraisers alike. Their combined worth at an estimated $6,800 is enough to make any sports enthusiast involuntarily drool.
The police, perhaps with a twinge of bemused disbelief, discovered these relics hawked on eBay under the cheeky username antta_57. This digital breadcrumb might as well have been emblazoned with neon arrows pointing straight back to Tate. Perhaps he thought 'clever username' was still his uncrackable alibi. Alas, fate had other plans.
With exhibit A, B, and C neatly detailed in a sheriff's file, Antwone Tate now finds himself charged with theft of property. In a stark reversal of fortune akin to a rookie player's promising career cut short by scandal, Tate’s time with FedEx has officially and unceremoniously ended. The company, maintaining the bureaucratic charm of a press release, confirmed that he had been terminated, adding a friendly reminder to all employees that package delivery does not, in fact, include pilfering.
Interestingly, this caper is a sobering reminder of the level of trust built into the actions of thousands of logistics workers who ensure the seamless flow of goods every day. Who knew a simple “out for delivery” could harbor such potential for misadventure? Next time you find yourself fretting over a vanishing package, it might be worth a scroll through eBay—though you may want to steer clear of listings from any user with a striking similarity to antta_58.
In the end, Antwone Tate’s tale seems almost Shakespearean in its tragic failure to distinguish between opportunity and obsession, trust and breach. The story is marinated in irony—a worker trusted with the world’s treasures who allegedly became entrapped by their allure. It makes for a page-turning anecdote, a cautionary tale, and a stark reminder of the age-old adage: honesty is, indeed, policy. But don’t take our word for it—just ask the folks at FedEx, who, like the rest of us, prefer hitting “delivered” over “disappeared.”
fedex card thief
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