WASHINGTON, DC - A U.S. Postal Service employee, 44-year-old Hachikosela Muchimba was convicted by a federal jury Thursday on charges of conspiracy, theft of mail, and bank fraud.
According to a Department of Justice press release, U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge Kathleen Woodson, of the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General announced that Muchimba’s crimes netted him more than $1.6 million in ill-gotten gains which he reportedly used to fund his efforts to become a naturalized citizen.
The DOJ explained, “According to court documents, between December 2020 and March 2023, Muchimba was an employee of the U.S. Postal Service when he executed a scheme to steal U.S. Treasury checks and private party checks from the U.S. mail. Muchimba then deposited the checks, which he either altered and/or falsely endorsed, into bank accounts under his control.
"Muchimba altered some of the checks by removing the name of the proper payee on the checks and replacing it with his own name. Bank surveillance footage captured images of him making deposits and withdrawals of the funds. The total amount of the U.S. Treasury checks fraudulently deposited into Muchimba’s various bank accounts was just over $1.6 million.”
Muchimba also lied on his citizenship documentation, resulting in charges for unlawful procurement of naturalization. The DOJ noted that his citizenship is now at risk: “During the scheme, Muchimba applied to become a naturalized US citizen and provided false information to US Citizenship and Immigration Services officers by telling them that he had not committed any crimes for which he had not been arrested. That offense carries a maximum penalty of ten years of incarceration and possible administrative denaturalization.”
Prosecutors were able to link Muchimba to at least 98 stolen checks deposited into seven different bank accounts with a total value of nearly $1.7 million, according to WUSA9.
Court documents revealed that Muchimba used the funds fraudulently acquired through stolen checks to live a lifestyle of lavish luxury that saw him travel internationally staying at high-end hotels and resorts and spending huge sums at gentleman’s clubs.
Federal Agents took Muchimba into custody in September of 2023 as he attempted to board a flight to Zambia. He had reportedly used a credit card under someone else’s name to book the flight and was captured carrying $2,000 in cash and a newly-acquired Zambian passport.
Sentencing for the jet-setting former postman is scheduled for August 8th and could result in his spending the next thirty years in prison for the bank fraud charge and another five years for mail theft. With the penalty for unlawful procurement of naturalization being 10 years and possibly de-naturalization, Hachikosela Muchimba could see a potential maximum of 45 years behind bars before facing deportation.
According to a Department of Justice press release, U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge Kathleen Woodson, of the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General announced that Muchimba’s crimes netted him more than $1.6 million in ill-gotten gains which he reportedly used to fund his efforts to become a naturalized citizen.
The DOJ explained, “According to court documents, between December 2020 and March 2023, Muchimba was an employee of the U.S. Postal Service when he executed a scheme to steal U.S. Treasury checks and private party checks from the U.S. mail. Muchimba then deposited the checks, which he either altered and/or falsely endorsed, into bank accounts under his control.
"Muchimba altered some of the checks by removing the name of the proper payee on the checks and replacing it with his own name. Bank surveillance footage captured images of him making deposits and withdrawals of the funds. The total amount of the U.S. Treasury checks fraudulently deposited into Muchimba’s various bank accounts was just over $1.6 million.”
Muchimba also lied on his citizenship documentation, resulting in charges for unlawful procurement of naturalization. The DOJ noted that his citizenship is now at risk: “During the scheme, Muchimba applied to become a naturalized US citizen and provided false information to US Citizenship and Immigration Services officers by telling them that he had not committed any crimes for which he had not been arrested. That offense carries a maximum penalty of ten years of incarceration and possible administrative denaturalization.”
Federal felony charges of mail theft and bank fraud were unsealed yesterday against Hachikosela Muchimba, a letter carrier accused of stealing nearly 100 checks from D.C. residents.
— Jordan Fischer (@JordanOnRecord) September 22, 2023
DOJ says he recruited at least one other USPS employee into the scheme.https://t.co/RhcoK8IaI6
Prosecutors were able to link Muchimba to at least 98 stolen checks deposited into seven different bank accounts with a total value of nearly $1.7 million, according to WUSA9.
Court documents revealed that Muchimba used the funds fraudulently acquired through stolen checks to live a lifestyle of lavish luxury that saw him travel internationally staying at high-end hotels and resorts and spending huge sums at gentleman’s clubs.
Federal Agents took Muchimba into custody in September of 2023 as he attempted to board a flight to Zambia. He had reportedly used a credit card under someone else’s name to book the flight and was captured carrying $2,000 in cash and a newly-acquired Zambian passport.
Sentencing for the jet-setting former postman is scheduled for August 8th and could result in his spending the next thirty years in prison for the bank fraud charge and another five years for mail theft. With the penalty for unlawful procurement of naturalization being 10 years and possibly de-naturalization, Hachikosela Muchimba could see a potential maximum of 45 years behind bars before facing deportation.
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Comments
5 hours ago | Comment by: Dennis
He's working a job many Americans would want.