A 49-year-old Chilean national, Mario Bustamante-Leiva, has pleaded guilty to stealing the Gucci handbag of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, which contained $3,000 in cash and her DHS badge. The incident occurred during an Easter dinner at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., where Noem was dining with her family. Bustamante-Leiva is accused of a string of thefts between April 12 and 20, during which he reportedly used stolen credit cards for fraudulent purchases. The charges carry significant penalties, including up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines for wire fraud, as well as up to 10 years and $25,000 in fines for first-degree theft. Sentencing guidelines also suggest a fine of up to $9,500, forfeitures of up to $3,174, and additional restitution.
Bustamante-Leiva’s guilty plea is expected to lead to his deportation, as he admitted to being removable from the United States after completing his sentence. Federal authorities highlighted his history, including eight prior convictions abroad and seven separate jail sentences in Chile and the United Kingdom. He was arrested on April 26 by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service. According to investigators, he targeted victims at restaurants, stealing purses from the backs of chairs before escaping. Security footage captured a white man wearing an N95 mask, dark pants, and a baseball cap grabbing the bag and walking out of the restaurant. Fox News has requested more information from the Department of Justice.
Noem’s bag was stolen from the floor beside her table at The Capital Burger, and it contained $3,000 cash, her driver’s license, passport, medication, makeup bag, blank checks, her DHS badge, apartment keys, and a Louis Vuitton Clemence wallet. The theft was described as ‘professionally done’ by Noem, who revealed the circumstances of the burglary. The case has sparked discussions about security measures at governmental events and the vulnerability of high-profile individuals to petty crimes. While the theft did not directly impact national policies or federal budgets, it has raised concerns about personal safety and the effectiveness of security protocols around public officials.