Wednesday, 30 April 2025

Federal Charges Filed Against Kristi Noem Purse Thief — Surveillance Photos Released

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The illegal immigrant who stole Krisi Noem’s purse on Easter Sunday has been identified as 49-year-old Mario Bustamante Leiva.

Originally from Chile, Leiva is a serial offender who has been in the United States for years.

After stealing Noem’s bag while she was dining with her children and grandchildren in Washington, D.C. a little over a week ago, Leiva fled the scene.

He then reportedly threw out her driver’s license and spent hundreds of dollars using her credit cards.

Elizabeth MacDonald of Fox News reported the details:

The illegal alien Mario Leiva who stole DHS Secy Kristi Noem’s purse with $3K cash in it on Easter Sunday at Capital Burger in DC did it by sitting at a table behind her, used his leg to hook her purse and covered it up with his coat. He then used her credit card to buy more than $205 worth of food and alcohol at Angelo Ristorante Italiano restaurant in DC. He also had stolen another woman’s purse before that and used her Amex card to buy a bottle of Josh Cabernet and a National Core Amex gift card. He used his cost over his arm to cover up taking her purse hanging on the back of her chair in the Westin Hotel restaurant. He also stole another woman’s purse at a Nando’s restaurant and bought a $500 Visa gift card w her credit card that he used along w a fake California ID card to get a room at the Quality Inn.

Here are the photos captured by surveillance of the robbery in action:

Leiva was arrested on Saturday and just faced the court.

He is facing federal charges of wire fraud, robbery, and aggravated identity theft.

AP News reported:

A man accused of stealing a purse from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was charged Monday in federal court with aggravated identity theft, robbery and fraud.

Video captured Mario Bustamante Leiva taking Noem’s purse while she dined at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., on April 20 under the protection of Secret Service agents, investigators said. He later used Noem’s stolen credit cards to buy over $200 in food and alcohol at a different restaurant, according to a Secret Service agent’s affidavit.

Police and federal agents arrested Bustamante Leiva on Saturday. Court records didn’t immediately list an attorney representing him.

The agent’s affidavit doesn’t name Noem, but the information in court records matches details of the theft from her.

Bustamante Leiva, 49. also is suspected of stealing purses from two other people at other restaurants earlier this month, the affidavit says. He used a credit card stolen from one of the women to buy wine at a grocery store, the agent wrote.

CNN has more:

Federal prosecutors have filed charges against the man accused of stealing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s purse, including thousands of dollars she had in cash, earlier this month at The Capital Burger restaurant in Washington, DC.

The man, Mario Bustamante Leiva, has been charged with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and robbery. Leiva also appeared in DC’s Superior Court Monday on a fugitive warrant unrelated to the robbery.

According to a statement by prosecutors Monday, Leiva is a Chilean national and resides in the US unlawfully. No lawyer is listed for Leiva and no date has been set for an arraignment.

In federal court documents, prosecutors allege that in the past several weeks Leiva had stolen two other purses from victims around DC and that Leiva, who was unhoused before his arrest, reported recently that he was the victim of a robbery himself.

“Thanks to the efforts of the Secret Service working in concert with the Metropolitan Police Department, this alleged thief was quickly identified, arrested, and, with the deft management of the Assistant US Attorney, charged,” US Attorney Edward Martin said in the statement. “He will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Prosecutors say that Leiva used his leg to push Noem’s purse – located on the ground – closer to him before bending down with his jacket in one hand, to take the purse in his other hand.

After tossing out Noem’s driver’s license following the theft, Leiva went to a bar and used the secretary’s credit card to buy alcohol and food. Leiva was arrested on Saturday after investigators tracked purchases made from allegedly stolen credit cards to a motel room in DC.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport.

View the original article here.


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