A former US Postal Service employee has been convicted of stealing approximately $1.6 million in checks to support a luxurious lifestyle that included international travel, stays at upscale hotels, and expenditures at gentlemen’s clubs, according to federal prosecutors.
Hachikosela Muchimba, 44, from Washington, DC, was found guilty by a federal jury on charges of mail theft and bank fraud, as announced by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Between December 2020 and March 2023, Muchimba, who was employed by the US Postal Service at the time, devised a scheme to pilfer US Treasury checks and private party checks from the mail. He then altered and/or falsely endorsed the checks before depositing them into his own bank accounts.
The total sum of the US Treasury checks that Muchimba fraudulently deposited into his various bank accounts amounted to over $1.6 million. These ill-gotten gains were used to finance a lavish lifestyle that included extravagant trips abroad, luxurious hotel accommodations, and expenditures at upscale gentlemen’s clubs.
Bank surveillance footage captured Muchimba making deposits and withdrawals of the stolen funds, providing incriminating evidence against him. He was convicted of conspiracy to commit theft of mail and bank fraud, theft of mail, bank fraud, engaging in a monetary transaction derived from illegal activity, and unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization.
Muchimba is facing a sentencing hearing scheduled for August 8, with a maximum penalty of 30 years for the bank fraud charge and five years for the mail theft charge. Additionally, he was found guilty of unlawful procurement of naturalization, as he provided false information to US Citizenship and Immigration Services officers while applying for US citizenship.
Upon his arrest in September 2023, Muchimba was reportedly attempting to flee to Zambia. The charges against him highlight the severity of his crimes and the consequences he now faces for his fraudulent actions.
