Mario Bustamante Leiva, a 49-year-old Chilean national residing illegally in the United States, has been arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including robbery, aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud. The charges stem from three incidents involving purse snatching and the unauthorized use of victim credit cards in Washington D.C. Authorities announced the charges on April 28, 2025.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Bustamante Leiva is scheduled for an initial appearance in U.S. District Court, following an unrelated fugitive warrant hearing in Superior Court. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has added an immigration detainer as well.
The allegations involve incidents where purses were stolen from unsuspecting diners in various locations. On April 12, 2025, a woman's purse was taken while dining at Nando’s restaurant on F Street, NW, leading to unauthorized credit card charges. A similar occurrence happened on April 17, 2025, at the Westin Hotel, with transactions exceeding $400. A third theft was reported on April 20, 2025, at the Capital Burger on 7th Street, NW. In each case, video surveillance captured the suspect, who was reports say acting with another individual, and unauthorized charges were made with the stolen cards.
U.S. Attorney Martin stated, “This alleged thief was quickly identified, arrested, and, with the deft management of the Assistant US Attorney, charged.” He added that prosecution to the fullest extent of the law would ensue. U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Matt McCool praised the investigative work that led to the arrests, noting the collaborative efforts of various law enforcement agencies, including the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The investigation revealed that Bustamante Leiva had previously reported a robbery to Montgomery County Police on April 19, 2025. However, on April 26, 2025, law enforcement successfully apprehended Bustamante Leiva at a location he was staying at, with subsequent interviews linking him to the purse thefts. The investigation is handled by the U.S. Secret Service and MPD, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand leads the prosecution.