United States of America v. Pitshou Yunga Kafuku ,

Salt Lake City, Utah, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with check fraud.

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Pitshou Yunga Kafuku, 43, of Millcreek, Utah, ran 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.

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.

The Defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced t 108 months in prison and ordered to pay $1.7 million in restitution.