Former Postal Employee Convicted in $1.6 Million Mail Theft and Bank Fraud Scheme
A former employee of the United States Postal Service (USPS) has been found guilty of orchestrating a sophisticated scheme that involved stealing over $1.6 million through mail theft and bank fraud, as announced by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia. Hachikosela Muchimba, a 44-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., was convicted by a federal jury on March 13 on multiple charges, including mail theft and bank fraud, all of which contributed to his illegally acquiring over $1.6 million.
The announcement of the conviction was made jointly by 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 (USPS-OIG) in a press release issued on Friday. The case highlights the dedication of law enforcement agencies to safeguarding the integrity of the postal system and holding accountable those who attempt to exploit it for personal gain.
According to court documents presented during the trial, Muchimba was employed by the postal service from December 2020 to March 2023. During this period, he devised and executed a complex scheme to steal U.S. Treasury checks and private party checks from the mail stream. His actions represent a significant breach of trust and a violation of the public’s confidence in the postal service’s ability to deliver mail securely.
Once Muchimba had stolen the checks, he deposited them into bank accounts that he controlled. To facilitate these deposits, he engaged in a practice of altering and/or falsely endorsing the checks. The alterations involved removing the name of the intended payee and replacing it with his own name. This manipulation allowed him to misappropriate funds that were originally intended for other individuals or entities.
The news release issued by the U.S. Attorneys Office further revealed that Muchimba was captured on bank security footage making deposits and withdrawals of the fraudulently obtained funds. This video evidence served as a crucial component of the prosecution’s case, providing irrefutable proof of Muchimba’s involvement in the scheme.
The total amount of U.S. Treasury checks that were fraudulently deposited into Muchimba’s various bank accounts amounted to just over $1.6 million. This substantial sum represents a significant loss to the U.S. Treasury and to the individuals and businesses that were the intended recipients of the checks.
The attorneys office also presented evidence that Muchimba used the illicitly obtained funds to finance a lavish lifestyle. His expenditures included international travel, stays at luxury hotels, and purchases at gentlemen’s clubs. This evidence demonstrated the extent to which Muchimba was willing to exploit his position of trust for personal enrichment.
In addition to the charges of fraud and theft, Muchimba was also found guilty at trial of unlawful procurement of naturalization. The attorneys office explained that Muchimba had provided false information to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers. Specifically, he falsely stated that he had not committed any crimes for which he had not been arrested. This misrepresentation constitutes a violation of immigration law and further underscores Muchimba’s disregard for the law.
U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras has scheduled Muchimba’s sentencing for August 8 and has ordered that he be detained until that time. The detention order reflects the court’s concern that Muchimba poses a flight risk and that he may attempt to flee the jurisdiction to avoid punishment.
The maximum penalty for bank fraud is 30 years in prison, while the maximum penalty for mail theft is five years. For unlawful procurement of naturalization, the maximum penalty is 10 years of incarceration and possible administrative denaturalization, which would result in the revocation of Muchimba’s U.S. citizenship.
The news release emphasized that the maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided for informational purposes only. Muchimba’s actual sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. These guidelines take into account a variety of factors, including the severity of the offense, the defendant’s criminal history, and any mitigating or aggravating circumstances.
The case against Muchimba is part of a larger investigation into mail theft and fraud schemes. Federal authorities have been actively investigating and prosecuting individuals and organizations that engage in these types of crimes. These efforts are aimed at protecting the integrity of the postal system and preventing financial losses to individuals, businesses, and the government. A related case revealed that Muchimba and his co-conspirators stole $24 million through a check theft scheme.
The announcement of Muchimba’s conviction serves as a warning to others who may be tempted to engage in similar criminal activity. Law enforcement agencies are committed to investigating and prosecuting these types of crimes, and those who are found guilty will face significant penalties.
An attorney for Muchimba listed in the court documents could not immediately be reached for comment.
