A former United States Postal Service employee was convicted of stealing round $ 1.6 million in checks to finance a “luxurious life-style that included worldwide journeys, stay in luxurious motels and purchases within the Knight Golf equipment,” federal prosecutors mentioned.
Hichikosela, 44, from Washington, DC, was declared responsible by a federal jury final week for costs of mail and financial institution fraud, in keeping with the USA prosecutor’s workplace for the Columbia district.
“In line with judicial paperwork, between December 2020 and March 2023, Muchimba was an worker of the USA postal service when he executed a scheme to steal treasury checks from the USA and personal occasion checks from US mail,” mentioned the Division of Justice in an announcement. “Muchimba later deposited the checks, which altered and/or supported falsely, in financial institution accounts below its management.”
“The full quantity of the USA Treasury checks deposited fraudulently within the numerous financial institution accounts of Muchimba was simply over $ 1.6 million,” prosecutors added. “Muchimba used the revenues of stolen checks to finance an expensive life-style that included worldwide journeys, states in luxurious motels and purchases in gents’s golf equipment.”
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Hachikosela Muimba was sentenced by a federal jury for costs of mail and financial institution fraud, mentioned the Division of Justice. (Division of Justice)
The financial institution surveillance pictures captured many deposits and withdrawals from the funds, the Division of Justice mentioned.
He was declared responsible of conspiracy to commit theft of mail and financial institution fraud, mail theft; financial institution fraud; take part in a financial transaction within the property derived from the desired criminality; and unlawful acquisition of citizenship or naturalization.
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The Division of Justice mentioned that “financial institution surveillance pictures captured pictures of [Muchimba] Make deposits and withdrawals from funds. “ (Division of Justice)
The sentence within the case is scheduled for August eight, with a most nice of 30 years for the place of financial institution fraud and 5 years for the cost of mail theft.
“Muchimba was additionally convicted within the unlawful acquisition trial of naturalization,” mentioned the workplace of the USA prosecutor. “In the course of the scheme, Motherimba requested to turn into a naturalized American citizen and supplied false info to US citizenship and immigration service officers telling them that he had not dedicated any crime for which he had not been arrested. That crime entails a most nice of ten years of imprisonment and doable administrative denaturation.”
Muchimba “deposited the checks, which altered and/or supported falsely, in financial institution accounts below its management,” in keeping with the Division of Justice. (Division of Justice)
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On the time of his arrest in September 2023, Muyimba was attempting to flee to Zambia, Wusa9 reported, citing accusation paperwork.