NEW YORK — A ring of 10 individuals — including several United States Postal Service workers — conspired to steal credit cards from mail they delivered in New York City and Virginia, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. announced Wednesday.

Those involved were arrested for a $750,000 identity theft conspiracy, which happened over two years.

The ringleader of the operation, 37-year-old Michael Richards, allegedly recruited mail carriers for the scheme. Those carriers then used online databases to discover personal information and activate credit cards. According to the district attorney’s office, those cards were used to purchase luxury goods from Hermes, Chanel and other high-end brands.

The fraud was discovered when one credit card company noticed that new cards were not reaching their owners.

“This holiday season, we know that identity thieves will be targeting not just our inboxes, but our mailboxes,” Vance said. “So, we’re putting scammers on notice: the Manhattan D.A.’s Office has the expertise, resources, and partnerships in cybercrime and identity theft to find you and hold you accountable.”