A former employee of the U.S. Postal Service has been found guilty of embezzling approximately $1.6 million in checks to support a luxurious lifestyle that involved extravagant international trips, stays at high-end hotels, and expenditures at exclusive establishments, as per federal prosecutors.
Identified as Hachikosela Muchimba, aged 44 and residing in Washington, D.C., the individual was convicted by a federal jury on charges of mail theft and bank fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia reported.
“The Department of Justice stated that court records reveal Muchimba’s activities from December 2020 to March 2023, during which time he misappropriated U.S. Treasury checks and personal checks from the U.S. postal system,” the DOJ mentioned in an official statement. “Subsequently, Muchimba processed these checks, some of which were modified or falsely endorsed, into bank accounts that he managed.”
“The total amount of the U.S. Treasury checks fraudulently deposited into Muchimba’s various bank accounts was just over $1.6 million,” prosecutors added. “Muchimba used the proceeds of the stolen checks to fund a lavish lifestyle that included international travel, stays at luxury hotels, and purchases at gentlemen’s clubs.”
The Justice Department said “Bank surveillance footage captured images of [Muchimba] making deposits and withdrawals of the funds.” (Justice Department)
Sentencing in the case is set for Aug. 8, with a maximum penalty of 30 years for the bank fraud charge and five years for the mail theft charge.
“Muchimba was also found guilty at trial of unlawful procurement of naturalization,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. “During the scheme, Muchimba applied to become a naturalized U.S. citizen and provided false information to U.S. 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.”
Muchimba “deposited the checks, which he either altered and/or falsely endorsed, into bank accounts under his control,” according to the Justice Department. (Justice Department)
At the time of his arrest in September 2023, Muchimba was trying to flee to Zambia, WUSA9 reported, citing charging documents.
