US EditionMan accused of stealing Kristi Noem’s purse pleads guilty
Mario Bustamante Leiva faces up to 3½ years in prison and deportation after admitting to stealing $3,000 and identity documents from Secretary Noem and two other women.
- On Friday, Mario Bustamante Leiva pleaded guilty to three counts after admitting he stole Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's purse at a Washington, D.C. restaurant last spring.
- Court records trace a pattern of thefts and foreign convictions, showing Mario Bustamante Leiva stole from three victims in the capital and holds convictions in Chile and the United Kingdom.
- Court documents list what was taken from Noem's purse, including roughly $3,000, her passport, a DHS badge and credit cards, which were used at an Italian restaurant in Georgetown where he drank until midnight then slept seven hours outdoors.
- Under the plea agreement, Mario Bustamante Leiva faces removal after prison; U.S. prosecutors say federal guidelines recommend six months to 3½ years, though The New York Post reports a March sentence.
- Noem reacted sharply to the plea, saying `This individual is a career criminal who has been in our country illegally for years`, and authorities identified two other victims from Spain and Massachusetts.
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7 Articles
Man Who Stole Noem's Purse Faces Deportation
A Chilean national with a globe-spanning criminal record has pleaded guilty to stealing the purse of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a Washington, DC restaurant and will face deportation after he gets out of prison. Prosecutors say Mario Bustamante Leiva, 50, who has convictions for theft in the UK...
Chilean illegal alien pleads guilty to stealing DHS Secy. Noem’s purse
(Background) U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem participates in a briefing at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers on November 7, 2025, in North Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo by Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images) / (R) Mario Bustamante-Leiva (Metropolitan Police) OAN Staff Katherine Mosack1:32 PM – Friday, November 28, 2025 The illegal alien accused of stealing Department of Homeland... The post Chilean illegal alien pleads g…
Noem Purse Thief Pleads Guilty
A Chilean national, Mario Bustamante Leiva, has pleaded guilty to multiple thefts in Washington, D.C., including stealing the purse of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem while she was dining at a restaurant last spring, The Washington Post first reported.According to court documents, Noem’s purse contained roughly $3,000 in cash, her passport, DHS badge, credit cards, and other personal items. Bustamante Leiva pleaded guilty Friday to three…
Noem Purse Thief Pleads Guilty
A Chilean national, Mario Bustamante Leiva, has pleaded guilty to multiple thefts in Washington, D.C., including stealing the purse of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem while she was dining at a restaurant last spring, The Washington Post first reported.According to court documents, Noem’s purse contained roughly $3,000 in cash, her passport, DHS badge, credit cards, and other personal items. Bustamante Leiva pleaded guilty Friday to three…
Noem Purse Thief Pleads Guilty
A Chilean national, Mario Bustamante Leiva, has pleaded guilty to multiple thefts in Washington, D.C., including stealing the purse of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem while she was dining at a restaurant last spring, The Washington Post first reported.According to court documents, Noem’s purse contained roughly $3,000 in cash, her passport, DHS badge, credit cards, and other personal items. Bustamante Leiva pleaded guilty Friday to three…
Man accused of stealing Kristi Noem’s purse pleads guilty
The Chilean national accused of stealing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s purse earlier this year pleaded guilty last week to charges of wire fraud, aiding and abetting and first-degree theft, and he may now be subject to deportation. The suspect, identified as Mario Bustamante Leiva, allegedly committed several thefts across Washington, D.C.,…
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