In a shocking breach of trust, a former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) worker, Hachikosela Muchimba, has been found guilty of orchestrating a massive $1.7 million mail theft and bank fraud scheme while also lying on his citizenship application.
Muchimba, aged 44, operated as a letter carrier at the Friendship Post Office in Washington, D.C. and used his position to commit fraud of an enormous scale. Throughout his employment, he stole a staggering 98 checks, largely from the U.S. Treasury, totaling over $1.6 million. These checks were manipulated by changing the payee names or forging endorsements, allowing Muchimba to funnel the funds into seven different bank accounts under his control.
Surveillance videos from various banks provided damning evidence, capturing Muchimba frequently conducting transactions while wearing his USPS uniform, a bold move that underscored his audacity.
“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 Department of Justice said in a press release.
Additionally, the press release revealed, “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.”
The law caught up with Muchimba in September 2023, when he was apprehended at Dulles International Airport. He was found carrying $2,000 in cash, a Zambian passport, and a ticket to Zambia, indicating a potential escape plan.
In a recent development, a jury found Muchimba guilty of multiple charges including conspiracy to commit mail theft and bank fraud, mail theft, bank fraud, engaging in monetary transactions with illicit proceeds, and falsifying citizenship-related information.
The repercussions for Muchimba are severe: he faces up to 30 years for bank fraud, five years for mail theft, and 10 years for the naturalization offense. His sentencing is slated for August 8, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras.
U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., commented on the case, highlighting the grave nature of the offenses as a “betrayal of public trust.”
