A Utah man was sentenced on July 28 to 108 months in prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to orchestrating a check fraud scheme that stole more than $1.7 million from banks between 2022 and 2025.
Pitshou Yunga Kafuku, 43, of Millcreek, Utah, pleaded guilty on April 21 to charges including bank fraud conspiracy, bank fraud, theft of government funds, and money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Tena Campbell also ordered Kafuku to pay $1,749,158.73 in restitution.
Court documents show that Kafuku led a network of African expatriates in Utah who worked with individuals in South Africa to obtain stolen checks from the mail. The group used fraudulent identification documents to open bank accounts where they deposited the stolen checks before withdrawing cash or transferring funds into other fraudulent accounts. Some proceeds were used to purchase heavy equipment destined for Africa. Kafuku’s criminal history includes a previous federal felony conviction for identity theft and unlawful possession of identity documents in 2018.
Kafuku is the last defendant sentenced in this case; his coconspirators Hugues Thierry Simo-Fotue and Beni Musogo Kahwara received sentences of 24 and 18 months respectively and will be remanded to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement upon release for deportation proceedings.
“Like his coconspirators, Kafuku’s arrival in the United States presented opportunity and promise. Instead, he chose to become a serial fraudster,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “My office has zero tolerance for those who steal to fund an extravagant lifestyle while our financial institutions bear the consequences. It is our hope that Kafuku’s sentence will deter others from engaging in this type of criminal activity.”
“The sentencing of Pitshou Kafuku underscores the seriousness of this extensive fraud operation,” stated IRS-CI Phoenix Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown. “Kafuku employed sophisticated tactics—leveraging stolen Treasury and business checks, fabricated identities, and numerous shell companies—to orchestrate the theft of more than $1.7 million.” Glen Henderson, Inspector in Charge of the Phoenix Division, added: “Today, Pitshou Yunga Kafuku was held accountable for stealing checks out of the U.S. Mail and fraudulently passing those checks through the financial system… We will steadfastly work with our law enforcement partners …and we will hold criminals accountable for their actions.”
The case was jointly investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigations Salt Lake City Field Office and U.S Postal Inspection Service; prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Tanner Zumwalt.
The U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah enforces federal laws across all counties within Utah—including areas with national parks—and operates under the Department of Justice with approximately 85 employees based primarily out of Salt Lake City and St George offices; it advances community well-being through victim assistance programs, according to its official website.