Hachikosela Muchimba, a 44-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a federal jury on charges related to mail theft and bank fraud, amounting to over $1.6 million in illegal gains. This was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., alongside Special Agent in Charge Kathleen Woodson from the U.S. Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General.
Muchimba faced charges including conspiracy to commit theft of mail and bank fraud, theft of mail, bank fraud, engaging in monetary transactions with unlawfully derived property, and unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization. His sentencing is scheduled for August 8, 2025, as decided by U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras who has detained Muchimba until then.
Court documents revealed that between December 2020 and March 2023, Muchimba misused his position at the U.S. Postal Service to steal checks from the mail. He deposited these checks into accounts he controlled after altering or falsely endorsing them. Surveillance footage documented his activities involving deposits and withdrawals of these funds totaling over $1.6 million.
The proceeds from this scheme funded an extravagant lifestyle for Muchimba that included international travel and luxury expenditures.
Additionally, during this period, Muchimba applied for naturalization as a U.S. citizen under false pretenses by denying any unarrested criminal activity to immigration officers—a charge carrying a maximum penalty of ten years imprisonment and potential denaturalization.
Bank fraud carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison while mail theft can result in up to five years incarceration. These penalties are statutory maxima set by Congress; however, Muchimba's final sentence will be determined according to advisory guidelines and statutory considerations.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the U.S. Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General, Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S Attorneys John Borchert and Diane Lucas are prosecuting the case on behalf of the District of Columbia's U.S Attorney’s Office.
