Former U.S. Postal Service Worker Convicted of Stealing $1.6 Million in Checks
Hachikosela Muchimba, a former employee of the United States Postal Service, has been found guilty by a jury for stealing over $1.6 million in checks intended for individuals on his mail route in Washington, D.C. Muchimba, 44, fraudulently obtained and deposited nearly 100 checks over a period of three years, most of which were tax returns issued by the Treasury Department.
Prosecutors from the Justice Department stated that Muchimba used the stolen funds to finance a lavish lifestyle that included international travel, luxury hotel stays, and purchases at gentlemen’s clubs. One of his trips included a visit to the Bulgari Resort Bali in July 2022, where he made a substantial debit card purchase.
Authorities began investigating Muchimba in January 2023 after a report was made regarding a treasury check deposited into someone else’s account. Further investigation revealed that Muchimba had deposited a total of 98 misappropriated checks into his accounts, amounting to $1,697,909.52.
Muchimba altered and falsely endorsed the checks to deposit them into his accounts, even conducting transactions while in his U.S.P.S. uniform, as captured by surveillance footage. He has been charged with multiple counts of theft of mail and bank fraud, and was found guilty on all 20 counts by a jury on March 14. His sentencing is scheduled for August.
Each count of bank fraud carries a sentence of 30 years in prison, while each count of mail fraud can result in up to five years behind bars. When contacted by PEOPLE, a lawyer representing Muchimba declined to provide a comment. You can read the original article on People’s website.
