Latest news with #MarioBustamanteLeiva
Associated Press
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Federal judge orders pretrial detention for man accused of stealing Kristi Noem's purse
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal magistrate judge on Wednesday ordered the pretrial detention of a man charged with stealing a purse from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem while she dined at a restaurant under the protection of Secret Service agents. U.S. Magistrate Matthew Sharbaugh concluded after a hearing that the suspect, Mario Bustamante Leiva, must remain jailed because he poses a flight risk. Bustamante Leiva, a 49-year-old a native of Chile, pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud, robbery and aggravated identity theft. Video captured Bustamante Leiva taking Noem's purse while she dined at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., on April 20, investigators said. Bustamante Leiva also is charged with stealing purses from two other people at other restaurants earlier last month. Prosecutors didn't argue that Leiva poses any danger to the public. One of his attorneys, Ubong Akpan, said purse snatching is 'not the most serious case that we have in the federal courts.' 'He didn't even speak to anyone or touch a complaining witness,' she told the magistrate. Sharbaugh said the charges are serious, but he acknowledged that the amount of money that Leiva is accused of stealing is relatively small compared to other federal fraud cases. A Secret Service agent's affidavit said Bustamante Leiva used Noem's stolen credit cards to buy over $200 in food and alcohol at a different restaurant. But the indictment says that the amount of that unauthorized charge was just over $15. The agent's affidavit doesn't name Noem, but the information in court records matches details of the theft from her. In a statement, Noem referred to the suspect as a 'a career criminal who has been in our country illegally for years.' Authorities said there was no evidence Noem was targeted because of her position. A prosecutor, Benjamin Helfand, said Leiva has a history of skipping court dates for similar offenses, doesn't have any ties to Washington and appears to be 'almost transient.' Akpan said Leiva has ties to New York and New Jersey. Akpan said a language barrier could explain why Leiva missed a recent court date after his arrest in a theft case in New York. Police and federal agents arrested Bustamante Leiva on April 26. He and a second suspect, Cristian Montecino-Sananza, were indicted last Thursday. Montecino-Sananza isn't charged in the count related to the theft of Noem's purse. The affidavit said Bustamante Leiva appeared to be 'acting in concert' with a second suspect during one of the other thefts. Investigators said they identified Bustamante Leiva as a suspect in the thefts after he used a stolen gift card to make a purchase at a motel. He was shown a photo of Noem and told investigators that he didn't know who she was, according to the affidavit. Investigators said they recovered Noem's purse and wallet from his motel room. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged an immigration detainer against Bustamante Leiva. The case against him is assigned to U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, who was nominated by Republican President Donald Trump.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Federal judge orders pretrial detention for man accused of stealing Kristi Noem's purse
A federal magistrate judge on Wednesday ordered the pretrial detention of a man charged with stealing a purse from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem while she dined at a restaurant under the protection of Secret Service agents. U.S. Magistrate Matthew Sharbaugh concluded after a hearing that the suspect, Mario Bustamante Leiva, must remain jailed because he poses a flight risk. Bustamante Leiva, a 49-year-old a native of Chile, pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud, robbery and aggravated identity theft. Video captured Bustamante Leiva taking Noem's purse while she dined at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., on April 20, investigators said. Bustamante Leiva also is charged with stealing purses from two other people at other restaurants earlier last month. Prosecutors didn't argue that Leiva poses any danger to the public. One of his attorneys, Ubong Akpan, said purse snatching is 'not the most serious case that we have in the federal courts.' 'He didn't even speak to anyone or touch a complaining witness,' she told the magistrate. Sharbaugh said the charges are serious, but he acknowledged that the amount of money that Leiva is accused of stealing is relatively small compared to other federal fraud cases. A Secret Service agent's affidavit said Bustamante Leiva used Noem's stolen credit cards to buy over $200 in food and alcohol at a different restaurant. But the indictment says that the amount of that unauthorized charge was just over $15. The agent's affidavit doesn't name Noem, but the information in court records matches details of the theft from her. In a statement, Noem referred to the suspect as a 'a career criminal who has been in our country illegally for years.' Authorities said there was no evidence Noem was targeted because of her position. A prosecutor, Benjamin Helfand, said Leiva has a history of skipping court dates for similar offenses, doesn't have any ties to Washington and appears to be 'almost transient.' Akpan said Leiva has ties to New York and New Jersey. Akpan said a language barrier could explain why Leiva missed a recent court date after his arrest in a theft case in New York. Police and federal agents arrested Bustamante Leiva on April 26. He and a second suspect, Cristian Montecino-Sananza, were indicted last Thursday. Montecino-Sananza isn't charged in the count related to the theft of Noem's purse. The affidavit said Bustamante Leiva appeared to be 'acting in concert' with a second suspect during one of the other thefts. Investigators said they identified Bustamante Leiva as a suspect in the thefts after he used a stolen gift card to make a purchase at a motel. He was shown a photo of Noem and told investigators that he didn't know who she was, according to the affidavit. Investigators said they recovered Noem's purse and wallet from his motel room. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged an immigration detainer against Bustamante Leiva. The case against him is assigned to U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, who was nominated by Republican President Donald Trump.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
ICE Barbie Kristi Noem's purse snatcher used her credit card to spend just $15 at an unusual location
Prosecutors are building their case against those accused of stealing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's bag and using her credit card. As Noem dined with her family on Easter Sunday, the alleged theives made off with her purse, including her passport, DHS ID, wallet and $3,000 in cash which was to be gifts for her grandchildren. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, a former Fox News host, signed an indictment Thursday naming Mario Bustamante Leiva and Cristian Montecino-Sananza. The document includes findings from federal prosecutors and demands the forfeiture of the stolen goods or anything derived from their sale. Bustamante Leiva is alleged to have robbed Noem at The Capital Burger in Washington, D.C. before going to Angolo Ristorante Italiano, a local Italian restaurant, and racking up a bill. Pirro is now demanding he pay up. According to the U.S. Attorney's indictment he spent $15.40. However, a Department of Justice file on the case alleges he racked up a bill just over $200. Images of the illegal immigrant in that file show him with Noem's Gucci bag at the bar. Dubbed the 'ICE Barbie' for her many law enforcement-related looks, Noem has a taste for designer. Though the secretary has a full Secret Service security detail, no one saw Bustamante Leiva, who was wearing a mask at the time, drag the secretary's bag away from her with his foot before picking it up and walking out, according to the DOJ. Bustamante Leiva, 49, admitted to authorities after his arrest that he is homeless and an alcoholic. According to the DOJ he 'made a total of five purchases using [Noem's] American Express credit cards in the amount of $205.87,' at Angolo Ristorante Italiano. They allege that after a night out drinking he fell asleep on some patio furniture close to the Georgetown bar until the following morning. Pirro is accusing the pair of multiple counts of wire fraud, aiding and abetting, aggravated identity theft and robbery. The indictment also alleges the accused have a habit of snatching purses and later spending the money found in them. In another theft days before stealing Noem's bag, the criminal pair stole a purse, bought a $500 Visa gift card, purchased several nights at multiple hotels, trips on the D.C. metro and more, the legal document alleges. In total there are nine counts cited in the indictment in addition to two forfeiture allegations. Pirro, a longtime host of the Fox News show 'The Five,' was sworn in as interim U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C., this week after Trump pulled his nomination for Ed Martin after the Senate expressed reluctance to confirm him. 'I am pleased to announce that Judge Jeanine Pirro will be appointed interim United States Attorney for the District of Columbia,' Trump wrote on social media announcing the nomination last week. The indictment filed Thursday is one of Pirro's first official actions in the new role. She will oversee all federal crimes in the nation's capital.
Telegraph
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
The ‘career criminal' accused of stealing Kristi Noem's handbag
A Gucci shoulder bag worth thousands, left under a woman's seat in a burger restaurant, probably looked like an easy target. After spotting the bag, a thief in a Covid mask and dark cap hooked his foot through the strap, tugged it over to his table and swiftly exited the building before heading out onto the evening streets of Washington, DC, prosecutors say. It seems to have been sheer bad luck for the man, whom authorities claim is Mario Bustamante Leiva, that the bag belonged to Kristi Noem, the US homeland security secretary and one of the most powerful figures in Donald Trump's government. Court documents claim the theft of Ms Noem's bag was just one incident in a one-man crime spree, alleging the suspect committed three separate robberies in just over a week in the city. Mr Leiva, a Chilean national whom police said has admitted to stealing Ms Noem's bag after being arrested last month, reportedly honed his pickpocketing skills on the streets of London more than a decade ago. The 49-year-old, who was branded a 'career criminal' by Ms Noem, and whom the department of homeland security (DHS) says is in the US illegally, was previously handed a prison sentence for a series of thefts in Britain. In the space of five months, he reportedly stole £21,000 ($27,800) of phones, wallets and computers in bars and cafes in high-end areas of London, the Daily Mail reported. When Mr Leiva was finally arrested in December 2014 entering a pub north of London Bridge, he was said to have been listening to a stolen iPod. Mr Leiva, a father of three with no fixed address, reportedly admitted to 22 charges of theft, and was sentenced to three years in prison by a judge who branded him 'dishonest to his fingertips', according to the Daily Mail. It is unclear how long Mr Leiva spent in prison. He is reported to have entered the US legally in 2021 under Joe Biden, before breaching the terms of his admission. Chile is the only South American state that belongs to the US's visa waiver programme, which allows citizens to enter for 90 days – although it is unclear if Mr Leiva made use of this. The New York Post reports he belonged to a large 'robbery organisation' operating on the East Coast, although this is not mentioned in court documents. Authorities place him in Washington, DC, on April 12 this year, where he is said to have removed a woman's purse from the back of her chair while she was eating in a Nando's restaurant, using his jacket to conceal it on his way out. He allegedly acted alongside a second individual who blocked the theft from view. The pair then apparently went to a Safeway supermarket, where Mr Leiva's alleged accomplice is said to have bought a £377 ($500) gift card using the woman's credit card. Five days later, Mr Leiva had re-appeared at DC's downtown Westin Hotel, where he allegedly walked in with a coat hanging over his left arm, brushing past the chair where a woman was eating with her family – and swiping her purse in the process. On his way there, at the Dolcezza coffee shop a block away, he appears to have removed an object – the size of a wallet or purse, investigators said – from a tan shoulder bag. He is then said to have returned to the Safeway and made two purchases: a £9 ($12) bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, and ten minutes later, a £300 ($400) gift card. On April 19 he appeared in Silver Spring, Maryland, where he called the police and reported that he had been sleeping on a bench when he was robbed by five men, saying they had taken his bag containing over £755 ($1,000) in cash and Chilean passport. Officers noted that he was 'somewhat un-cooperative' and smelled strongly of alcohol. On April 20, Kristi Noem took her family, including her grandchildren, out for dinner at Capital Burger, a restaurant located roughly halfway between the White House and US Capitol. The homeland security secretary had £2,270 ($3,000) in cash in her handbag, which she intended to use to pay for the meal. '[Ms Noem's] entire family was in town including her children and grandchildren – she was using the withdrawal to treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts,' a DHS spokesperson said after the incident. It is unclear whether Mr Leiva, had he been in the restaurant, would have recognised Ms Noem had he been in Capital Burger, or realised two of the men sat at the bar near her table were plainclothes Secret Service officers. Prosecutors do not allege he targeted her because she is the face of Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, Instead, authorities allege it was Ms Noem's Gucci shoulder bag that caught his eye. 'Frankly, it was a nice-looking purse,' Ed Martin, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, later told NBC News. Referencing to CCTV footage of the incident, he added: 'This was not an amateur. This was a person, a thief, that knew how to do this. You could see how he scouted the room out.' The relatively upmarket restaurant – its flagship burger, which boasts caramelised onions, Gruyère cheese and shallot aioli, costs £17 ($23) – is dimly lit with tables set close together. Mr Leiva is said to have edged his chair towards the homeland security secretary, twisted his body to the left, and used his leg to edge the bag towards him before scooping it up and leaving abruptly. He reportedly told police that he disposed of most of the contents of the bag, which included Ms Noem's driving licence, government identification card, medication and keys, but kept her purse and the £2,270 ($3,000) she had inside. He then apparently boarded a bus to an Italian restaurant, where he spent more than £151 ($200) on food and drink with her credit cards, leaving both the bag and purse in full view of a security camera as he sat at the bar. Mr Leiva then allegedly headed outside and is said to have fallen asleep at one of the restaurant's tables until 7.30am the following morning. Police later arrested him at a Motel 6 in northern Washington, roughly a 35-minute bus ride from Capital Burger. According to documents submitted to DC's US district court, Mr Leiva admitted to stealing Ms Noem's bag but could not remember the other offences, citing memory loss caused by alcoholism. Staff at a Quality Inn had told authorities that he had drunkenly argued with a shift manager who had asked him to return to his room. Soon after his arrest he was transferred to hospital after complaining of alcohol withdrawal, according to the court filing. He has been charged with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and robbery in connection with the three thefts.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The ‘career criminal' accused of stealing Kristi Noem's handbag
A Gucci shoulder bag worth thousands, left under a woman's seat in a burger restaurant, probably looked like an easy target. After spotting the bag, a thief in a Covid mask and dark cap hooked his foot through the strap, tugged it over to his table and swiftly exited the building before heading out onto the evening streets of Washington, DC, prosecutors say. It seems to have been sheer bad luck for the man, whom authorities claim is Mario Bustamante Leiva, that the bag belonged to Kristi Noem, the US homeland security secretary and one of the most powerful figures in Donald Trump's government. Court documents claim the theft of Ms Noem's bag was just one incident in a one-man crime spree, alleging the suspect committed three separate robberies in just over a week in the city. Mr Leiva, a Chilean national whom police said has admitted to stealing Ms Noem's bag after being arrested last month, reportedly honed his pickpocketing skills on the streets of London more than a decade ago. The 49-year-old, who was branded a 'career criminal' by Ms Noem, and whom the department of homeland security (DHS) says is in the US illegally, was previously handed a prison sentence for a series of thefts in Britain. In the space of five months, he reportedly stole £21,000 ($27,800) of phones, wallets and computers in bars and cafes in high-end areas of London, the Daily Mail reported. When Mr Leiva was finally arrested in December 2014 entering a pub north of London Bridge, he was said to have been listening to a stolen iPod. Mr Leiva, a father of three with no fixed address, reportedly admitted to 22 charges of theft, and was sentenced to three years in prison by a judge who branded him 'dishonest to his fingertips', according to the Daily Mail. It is unclear how long Mr Leiva spent in prison. He is reported to have entered the US legally in 2021 under Joe Biden, before breaching the terms of his admission. Chile is the only South American state that belongs to the US's visa waiver programme, which allows citizens to enter for 90 days – although it is unclear if Mr Leiva made use of this. The New York Post reports he belonged to a large 'robbery organisation' operating on the East Coast, although this is not mentioned in court documents. Authorities place him in Washington, DC, on April 12 this year, where he is said to have removed a woman's purse from the back of her chair while she was eating in a Nando's restaurant, using his jacket to conceal it on his way out. He allegedly acted alongside a second individual who blocked the theft from view. The pair then apparently went to a Safeway supermarket, where Mr Leiva's alleged accomplice is said to have bought a £377 ($500) gift card using the woman's credit card. Five days later, Mr Leiva had re-appeared at DC's downtown Westin Hotel, where he allegedly walked in with a coat hanging over his left arm, brushing past the chair where a woman was eating with her family – and swiping her purse in the process. On his way there, at the Dolcezza coffee shop a block away, he appears to have removed an object – the size of a wallet or purse, investigators said – from a tan shoulder bag. He is then said to have returned to the Safeway and made two purchases: a £9 ($12) bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, and ten minutes later, a £300 ($400) gift card. On April 19 he appeared in Silver Spring, Maryland, where he called the police and reported that he had been sleeping on a bench when he was robbed by five men, saying they had taken his bag containing over £755 ($1,000) in cash and Chilean passport. Officers noted that he was 'somewhat un-cooperative' and smelled strongly of alcohol. On April 20, Kristi Noem took her family, including her grandchildren, out for dinner at Capital Burger, a restaurant located roughly halfway between the White House and US Capitol. The homeland security secretary had £2,270 ($3,000) in cash in her handbag, which she intended to use to pay for the meal. '[Ms Noem's] entire family was in town including her children and grandchildren – she was using the withdrawal to treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts,' a DHS spokesperson said after the incident. It is unclear whether Mr Leiva, had he been in the restaurant, would have recognised Ms Noem had he been in Capital Burger, or realised two of the men sat at the bar near her table were plainclothes Secret Service officers. Prosecutors do not allege he targeted her because she is the face of Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, Instead, authorities allege it was Ms Noem's Gucci shoulder bag that caught his eye. 'Frankly, it was a nice-looking purse,' Ed Martin, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, later told NBC News. Referencing to CCTV footage of the incident, he added: 'This was not an amateur. This was a person, a thief, that knew how to do this. You could see how he scouted the room out.' The relatively upmarket restaurant – its flagship burger, which boasts caramelised onions, Gruyère cheese and shallot aioli, costs £17 ($23) – is dimly lit with tables set close together. Mr Leiva is said to have edged his chair towards the homeland security secretary, twisted his body to the left, and used his leg to edge the bag towards him before scooping it up and leaving abruptly. He reportedly told police that he disposed of most of the contents of the bag, which included Ms Noem's driving licence, government identification card, medication and keys, but kept her purse and the £2,270 ($3,000) she had inside. He then apparently boarded a bus to an Italian restaurant, where he spent more than £151 ($200) on food and drink with her credit cards, leaving both the bag and purse in full view of a security camera as he sat at the bar. Mr Leiva then allegedly headed outside and is said to have fallen asleep at one of the restaurant's tables until 7.30am the following morning. Police later arrested him at a Motel 6 in northern Washington, roughly a 35-minute bus ride from Capital Burger. According to documents submitted to DC's US district court, Mr Leiva admitted to stealing Ms Noem's bag but could not remember the other offences, citing memory loss caused by alcoholism. Staff at a Quality Inn had told authorities that he had drunkenly argued with a shift manager who had asked him to return to his room. Soon after his arrest he was transferred to hospital after complaining of alcohol withdrawal, according to the court filing. He has been charged with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and robbery in connection with the three thefts. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
