Zambian accused of stealing $1.7m caught while trying to leave Washington
…According to the memo, he was carrying $2,000 in cash and a newly issued Zambian passport…..
Federal charges were unsealed this week against Hachikosela Muchimba for allegedly stealing nearly $1.7 million from D.C. residents.
WASHINGTON — A mail carrier accused of stealing nearly $1.7 million from D.C. residents was arrested Wednesday while allegedly attempting to flee the country to the African nation of Zambia, according to charging documents unsealed this week.
In a detention memo filed Friday, federal prosecutors said they quickly sought an arrest warrant this week after learning Hachikosela Muchimba had booked an international flight using a card belonging to someone else.
Muchimba was arrested at Dulles International Airport Wednesday morning shortly before he boarded his flight.
According to the memo, he was carrying $2,000 in cash and a newly issued Zambian passport.
Prosecutors say Muchimba, who has worked as a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier since 2020 but was placed on off-duty status in March, was aware he was under investigation for allegedly stealing checks from postal customers in D.C.
More than $400,000 was seized last month from a bank account he controlled as part of a civil forfeiture action and all of his identification documents, including his U.S. passport, were seized during a separate search of his residence in March.
On Thursday, two felony counts of mail theft and bank fraud were unsealed against him in D.C. District Court.- wusa9