U.S.-Congolese Citizen Sentenced to Nine Years’ Imprisonment for Sprawling Check Fraud Conspiracy

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah man was sentenced today to 108 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to running a check fraud scheme between 2022–2025, stealing upwards of $1.7 million from banks with the help of a small network of African expats. Pitshou Yunga Kafuku, 43, of Millcreek, Utah, pleaded guilty to bank fraud conspiracy, bank fraud, theft of government funds, and money laundering on April 21, 2026. In addition to his term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Tena Campbell ordered Kafuku to pay $1,749,158.73 in restitution. According to court documents and admissions made at Kafuku’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, between 2022 and 2025, Kafuku orchestrated an elaborate scheme to obtain money from banks through fraud. As part of the scheme, Kafuku worked with individuals in South Africa to obtain stolen checks from the mail. With the help of a small network of African expats in Utah—recruited and directed by Kafuku—the conspirators opened bank accounts using fraudulent identification documents to deposit the stolen checks. Afterwards, they withdrew the funds as cash, transferred the money to other fraudulent accounts, or purchased heavy equipment bound for Africa. Kafuku’s criminal history includes a 2018 federal felony case for identity theft and unlawful possession of identity documents. He is the last defendant to be sentenced in this current scheme. His coconspirators, Hugues Thierry Simo-Fotue and Beni Musogo Kahwara, both illegal aliens, were previously sentenced to 24 and 18 months’ imprisonment, respectively. Upon their release, both defendants will be remanded to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings. “Like his coconspirators, Kafuku’s arrival in the United States presented opportunity and promise. Instead, he chose to become a serial fraudster,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “My office has zero tolerance for those who steal to fund an extravagant lifestyle while our financial institutions bear the consequences. It is our hope that Kafuku’s sentence will deter others from engaging in this type of criminal activity.” “The sentencing of Pitshou Kafuku underscores the seriousness of this extensive fraud operation,” stated IRS-CI Phoenix Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown. “Kafuku employed sophisticated tactics—leveraging stolen Treasury and business checks, fabricated identities, and numerous shell companies—to orchestrate the theft of more than $1.7 million. This outcome serves as a powerful reminder of IRS Criminal Investigation’s steadfast commitment to pursuing complex financial fraud and preserving the integrity of our nation’s financial systems.” “Today, Pitshou Yunga Kafuku was held accountable for stealing checks out of the U.S. Mail and fraudulently passing those checks through the financial system. Postal Inspectors relentlessly pursue criminals who exploit the U.S. Mail for such unlawful purposes. We will steadfastly work with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and we will hold criminals accountable for their actions,” said Glen Henderson, Inspector in Charge of the Phoenix Division. The case was jointly investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigations Salt Lake City Field Office and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tanner Zumwalt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. ###