A Millcreek resident will spend nine years in federal prison after admitting he ran a check fraud ring that stole more than $1.7 million from banks over three years.

Pitshou Yunga Kafuku, 43, was sentenced Tuesday, July 28, to 108 months in prison and five years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah. A federal judge also ordered Kafuku to pay $1,749,158.73 in restitution.

Kafuku pleaded guilty on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, to four federal counts: bank fraud conspiracy, bank fraud, theft of government funds, and money laundering.

How the scheme worked

Between 2022 and 2025, Kafuku coordinated with contacts in South Africa to obtain checks stolen from the U.S. mail, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. He then recruited a small group of African expats in Utah to open bank accounts using fraudulent identification documents.

The group deposited the stolen checks into those accounts, then withdrew the funds as cash, transferred money to other fraudulent accounts, or used the proceeds to buy heavy equipment that was shipped to Africa.

The total take: more than $1.7 million.

Co-conspirators already sentenced

Two of Kafuku's co-conspirators have already served shorter sentences. Hugues Thierry Simo-Fotue received 24 months in prison, and Beni Musogo Kahwara received 18 months, ABC4 reported. Both will be turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement upon their release.

Kafuku's 108-month sentence dwarfs the combined 42 months his two co-conspirators received, reflecting his role as the organizer of the operation.

"My office has zero tolerance for those who steal to fund an extravagant lifestyle while our financial institutions bear the consequences," U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak said at sentencing Tuesday.

Reporting fraud

Kafuku listed a Millcreek address throughout the federal proceedings.

Residents who suspect mail theft or check fraud can report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455 or file a complaint online at uspis.gov.