Postal Worker Arrested Trying to Flee to Zambia After Stealing $1.7M in Checks

A former U.S. Postal Service worker, Hachikosela Muchimba, has been arrested and charged with mail theft and bank fraud after allegedly stealing checks worth nearly $1.7 million. Muchimba, who worked at a post office in Washington, D.C., from 2020 to 2023, is accused of stealing U.S. Treasury checks from mailboxes and altering them to deposit into his own bank accounts. He recruited another postal worker to help him steal checks and paid her $1,000 for each stolen check. After rejecting a plea offer, Muchimba attempted to flee the country but was arrested at Dulles International Airport. If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison for bank fraud and five years for mail theft.