SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4) — A federal indictment unsealed in the District of Utah has charged three men with participating in a $3.1 million check fraud and money laundering scheme that spanned more than three years.
Pitshou Yunga Kafuku, Beni Musogo Kahwara, and Hugues Simo-Fotue face multiple federal charges, including bank fraud conspiracy, bank fraud, theft of government funds, possession of stolen mail, passing fraudulent U.S. Treasury checks, and money laundering.
Prosecutors allege the defendants collaborated to deposit fraudulent and stolen checks—including counterfeit U.S. Treasury checks—into various bank accounts between January 2022 and February 2025. Once funds cleared, they allegedly transferred the money to other accounts, including sending large amounts overseas to businesses in China and Singapore.
The indictment further claims that many of the stolen checks originated from intercepted mail, particularly correspondence sent from the U.S. to recipients in Africa.
Pitshou Yunga Kafuku has a prior federal conviction. In 2018, he pleaded guilty to identity theft and served two years in prison, though related securities fraud charges were dismissed.
Kafuku and Kahwara appeared in court on April 22, 2025, while Simo-Fotue had his initial appearance on May 12, 2025.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges or arrests may follow, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
