Overview

• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s purse, containing $3,000 in cash and sensitive items like her DHS badge and passport, was stolen during an Easter dinner with family in Washington, D.C.
• The primary suspect, Mario Bustamante-Leiva, a Chilean national living in the U.S. illegally, was arrested in D.C. and charged with robbery and other potential federal offenses.
• A second suspect, believed to be a co-conspirator, was apprehended in Miami with assistance from ICE and local police, highlighting a broader investigation into an organized theft ring.
• Authorities have stated there is no evidence Noem was specifically targeted due to her position, with the robbery appearing to focus on her luxury handbag.
• The incident has raised concerns about security measures for high-ranking officials and the prevalence of organized thefts in Washington’s Penn Quarter area.