Former USPS Employee Unlawfully Procured U.S. Citizenship, Stole $1.6 Million From Mail
Prosecutors stated that the stolen funds were used for international travel, stays at luxury hotels, and expenditures at gentlemen’s clubs.
A federal jury has convicted a former U.S. Postal Service employee of mail theft, bank fraud, and other charges related to a scheme that netted more than $1.6 million, officials announced.
Hachikosela Muchimba, 44, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty of conspiracy to commit mail theft and bank fraud, theft of mail, bank fraud, engaging in a monetary transaction from unlawful proceeds, and unlawfully procuring U.S. citizenship. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Kathleen Woodson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General.
U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras scheduled Muchimba’s sentencing for August 8, 2025. He remains in custody until then.
According to court documents, Muchimba worked for the U.S. Postal Service from December 2020 to March 2023 when he carried out a scheme to steal U.S. Treasury and private party checks from the mail. He allegedly altered and fraudulently endorsed the checks before depositing them into bank accounts under his control. Some checks were modified by replacing the original payee’s name with his own.
Investigators say surveillance footage captured Muchimba making bank deposits and withdrawals. Authorities estimate that the total value of the stolen Treasury checks exceeded $1.6 million.
Prosecutors stated that the stolen funds were used for international travel, stays at luxury hotels, and expenditures at gentlemen’s clubs.
Muchimba was also convicted of unlawfully procuring U.S. citizenship. Prosecutors alleged that during his naturalization application process, he provided false information to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, stating he had not committed any crimes for which he had not been arrested.
Muchimba faces significant prison time. Bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years, while mail theft has a maximum sentence of five years. The unlawful procurement of naturalization charge could result in up to 10 years in prison, along with possible administrative denaturalization. His final sentence will be determined by the court, considering federal sentencing guidelines.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Borchert and Diane Lucas prosecuted the case.