⏱ 2 min read
A brazen purse thief who targeted former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a DC restaurant was sentenced to 36 months in prison for wire fraud and first-degree theft.
Mario Bustamante Leiva, 50, a Chilean national, was caught on surveillance cameras working with an accomplice to steal a woman’s purse at Nando’s in April 2025. The pair quickly used the stolen credit card to buy a $500 Visa gift card at a nearby supermarket.
Leiva pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and one count of first-degree theft on November 21, 2025. He will serve his prison term and then face deportation.
According to court documents, Leiva targeted female diners at three separate restaurants in DC between April 2025, surveilling his victims and stealing their purses before using the stolen credit cards to make fraudulent purchases.
Leiva’s crimes ended with a 36-month sentence, but the victims are still left to pick up the pieces. ‘He methodically targeted women at restaurants, stealing their purses and monetizing the stolen cards within minutes,’ said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Wire Fraud
- Location: DC
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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