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The deadly incident happened on March 1 when the singer, her bandmates, and family were traveling in a van from a show in Mobile, Alabama, back to Atlanta. GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Grammy-nominated R&B star Angie Stone had survived a van rollover and was attempting to get out when a tractor-trailer struck the disabled vehicle at full speed, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by her family in Gwinnett County. The deadly incident happened on March 1 when the singer, her bandmates, and family were traveling in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van from a show in Mobile, Alabama, back to Atlanta. According to the lawsuit, the driver lost control of the van, causing it to veer off the roadway and eventually overturn on I-65 in Montgomery County, Alabama, coming to a rest in the left lane.  Passengers survived the initial rollover and were trying to get out of the van. The lawsuit stated that minutes later, a CRST tractor-trailer crashed into the disabled van at nearly 70 miles per hour without braking.  Stone was then ejected and pinned under the van, where she died, according to the lawsuit. Sheila Hopkins was also in the van trying to get out at the time of the crash, and she was badly injured.  The lawsuit, which was filed on Tuesday, Sept. 2, was against the truck driver, the trucking company, the truck's manufacturer, the safety system maker, the sprinter van driver, and the van owners.  According to the lawsuit, the truck should have been equipped with a system designed to enable the brakes in the event of a possible collision.  The lawsuit stated the system was defective.  Lawyers for her family also allege the truck driver engaged in negligence, was driving while distracted by wearing headphones, failed to keep a proper lookout, and violated federal trucking regulations.  They also allege that the truck manufacturer Daimler Truck and its safety system maker, Detrior Diesel, designed a defective Freightliner Cascadia and failed to warn users about the flaws of the system.  The lawsuit alleges that the van driver was negligent for losing control of the van and causing it to overturn. The van's owner was negligent in hiring and training the driver, who was also allegedly uninsured, according to the lawsuit. Lawyers for Stone's family and Hopkins are asking for wrongful death, injury, and punitive damages. They are also asking for an award of attorneys' fees and litigation costs.  Daimler Truck issued the following statement: "We extend our sincere condolences to the victims of this incident and their families during this difficult time. We cannot comment on pending litigation at this time." Stone's funeral happened on March 14, where family, friends, and loved ones gathered at World of Faith Cathedral in Austell.  Some of the biggest names in Gospel and R&B-- including Tyler Perry, Kirk Franklin, Anthony Hamilton, Keke Wyatt, Tamela Mann and Musiq Soulchild -- honored her through musical performances and powerful tributes at her memorial service. 

Several of the robberies were violent, as prosecutors said Sherman's family was held at gunpoint and Ichiro's wife was assaulted when the suspects tried to break in. SEATTLE — A second man has now been charged in a string of burglaries and robberies targeting local professional athletes and the Seattle home of rapper Macklemore. Patrick Maisonet was charged Thursday with 10 felony crimes, as he and another accomplice are accused of break-ins at the homes of Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo, Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell, and former Seahawks star Richard Sherman. Several of the robberies were violent, as Sherman's family was held at gunpoint and Ichiro's wife was assaulted during a break-in at his Issaquah home, according to court documents. Maisonet was arrested in late August on a warrant related to a robbery of a Bellevue jewelry store. His co-conspirator, Earl Riley IV, remains in custody on $1 million after being charged with the crimes in June.  "Here, the defendants guaranteed that danger would go from potential to certain when they armed themselves with pepper spray, wifi frequency jammers and on at least one occasion a firearm. The defendants clearly anticipated and were prepared for a violent confrontation in each of the homes that they targeted," prosecutors said in their request for $1 million bail. Maisonet appeared in court on Thursday in the Bellevue jewelry store robbery. All the robberies and burglaries were committed between January and June of this year, according to charging documents. There also was an attempted break-in at the home of former Mariners star Edgar Martinez's Clyde Hill home mentioned in the court documents. Julio Rodriguez's Mercer Island home was also broken into, although Riley is the lone person charged in that break-in. Between all of Maisonet's outstanding criminal cases, he is being held in King County Jail on over $2 million in bail. Among the items recovered from Maisonet's home when police executed a search warrant were a Seahawks Super Bowl championship ring and a Seattle Sounders championship ring. Maisonet is due back in court next on Sept. 9. Riley will next appear before a judge on Sept. 29.

SUKOSHI, North America’s leading Asian beauty retailer, is opening a new store at Bellevue Square. The shop will be located on the first level in the space that formerly housed The Disney Store. The other portion of the space is now home to FP Movement, Free People’s activewear brand. Founded in 2018, SUKOSHI has grown quickly, expanding its presence across the United States in high-profile retail centers. The Bellevue Square location will feature a wide range of skincare, makeup, fragrance, and K-pop merchandise and collectibles, with a strong focus on Asian beauty. The store carries more than 200 Asian beauty brands, including popular Korean and Japanese labels. SUKOSHI’s approach combines curating the latest beauty trends with offering time-tested skincare staples, aiming to provide both new and established products to its customers. In addition to Bellevue, SUKOSHI is also expanding into other major shopping destinations, including Lenox Square in Atlanta, Aventura Mall in Florida, and King of Prussia in Pennsylvania. Recently, the retailer opened its largest New York location on the Upper East Side, further signaling its rapid growth. The Disney Store, which SUKOSHI will replace at Bellevue Square, permanently closed in March 2022 as part of The Walt Disney Company’s shift toward e-commerce and away from most brick-and-mortar locations. The Bellevue Square store had originally opened in 2011 at The Bellevue Collection.

With $1.8 billion on the line, you might be able to try your luck without standing in line — depending on where you live. WASHINGTON — With the Powerball jackpot now offering the second-largest prize in the game's history, many people who don't often play the lottery may consider throwing in a few bucks for their chance at some big cash.  Saturday's $1.80 billion Powerball jackpot is also the second-largest in U.S. lottery history, trailing only a $2.04 billion Powerball prize won in 2022.  The cash option, which most people pick, currently stands at $826.4 million.  How to play Powerball Powerball costs $2 per ticket and players select five numbers between 1 and 69 for the white balls, along with one number between 1 and 26 for the red Powerball. You can either select your numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick for you.  The jackpot is won by matching all five white balls, in any order, along with the red Powerball. But the odds of winning that grand prize are pretty terrible: 1 in 292.2 million. Your best shot at winning a prize is the 1 in 38.32 odds of matching only the Powerball number. That'll net you $4.  Can you buy Powerball tickets online? While Powerball tickets are sold in all but five states, buying tickets online is much more restrictive.  Whether or not you're able to buy a Powerball ticket online depends on your location. Currently, the lotteries in 12 states and the District of Columbia offer ways to purchase Powerball tickets online or through their lottery's mobile app. Those states include: Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. If you don't live in one of those states, you may not be out of luck completely.  Another option that's popped up in recent years is courier services, like Lotto.com and Jackpocket, which allow players to order lottery tickets via a mobile app or website. Those companies go and buy the ticket on the player's behalf from a licensed retailer in their state, then upload an image of it on the app and securely store the physical ticket. But location is again key, because these courier services are not available everywhere.  Jackpocket is currently available in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and West Virginia.  Lotto.com currently operates in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Oregon. What time is the Powerball drawing?  The next drawing will take place on Saturday at 10:59 p.m. Eastern (9:59 p.m. Central Time, 8:59 p.m. Mountain Time, 7:59 p.m. Pacific Time) What days are the Powerball drawing? Back in Aug. 2021, Powerball shifted to three drawings a week in an effort to build larger prizes and boost sales. The drawings currently happen every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.  How late can you buy Powerball tickets?  The cut-off times for buying Powerball tickets vary by state. Usually, it's within one or two hours of the scheduled drawing. However, you should check with your local lottery. Tickets cost $2 per play.  What are the largest US lottery jackpots ever won? 1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022. The winning ticket was sold at a Los Angeles-area gas station. 2. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a liquor store in a tiny California mountain town. 3. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a supermarket in Neptune Beach, Florida. 4. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016. The winning tickets were sold at a Los Angeles-area convenience store, a Florida supermarket and a Tennessee grocery store. 5. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018. The winning ticket was sold at a South Carolina convenience store. 6. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a Maine gas station. 7. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022. The winning ticket was sold at a Chicago-area gas station. 8. $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024. The winning ticket was sold at an Oregon convenience store. 9. $1.269 billion, Mega Millions, Dec. 27, 2024. The winning ticket was sold at a gas station in Northern California. 10. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024. The winning ticket was sold at a liquor store in New Jersey The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The prize carries a cash value of $826.4 million, trailing only the record $2.04 billion jackpot hit in California in 2022. WASHINGTON — The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $1.8 billion, offering a cash value of approximately $826.4 million, making it the second-largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history.  The only prize larger was the $2.04 billion jackpot won in November 2022. The jackpot for Saturday's drawing was initially set at $1.7 billion, but game leaders increased the estimate Friday morning.  “Excitement is building as players look forward to tomorrow night’s drawing for this historic jackpot,” Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO said. “We encourage everyone to play responsibly and take pride in knowing that every $2 ticket also helps support good causes in their community.” Since May 31, there have been 42 straight drawings without a big winner. This lottery streak has produced "101 winning tickets worth $1 million or more, and more than a thousand winning tickets worth $50,000 or more," Powerball said. Here is a look at the largest U.S. jackpots won and the places where the winning tickets were sold: 1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022. The winning ticket was sold at a Los Angeles-area gas station. 2. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a liquor store in a tiny California mountain town. 3. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a supermarket in Neptune Beach, Florida. 4. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016. The winning tickets were sold at a Los Angeles-area convenience store, a Florida supermarket and a Tennessee grocery store. 5. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018. The winning ticket was sold at a South Carolina convenience store. 6. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023. The winning ticket was sold at a Maine gas station. 7. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022. The winning ticket was sold at a Chicago-area gas station. 8. $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024. The winning ticket was sold at an Oregon convenience store. 9. $1.269 billion, Mega Millions, Dec. 27, 2024. The winning ticket was sold at a gas station in Northern California. 10. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024. The winning ticket was sold at a liquor store in New Jersey What are the odds of winning the Powerball? The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 292.2 million. The odds of matching all five white balls and winning the $1 million prize are 1 in 11,688,053. The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.87. When is the next Powerball drawing? The next drawing is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 6, at 10:59 p.m. ET. Drawings are held three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets, which cost $2 per play, are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Turning its back on the CDC, the Washington State Department of Health is recommending that everyone six months and older stay up-to-date on the COVID-19 vaccine. OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) made its own official recommendation that everyone 6 months and older get the COVID-19 vaccine.  This recommendation is majorly expanded from what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration handed down in late August, which restricted vaccine access to those 65 and older, or anyone 6 months and older with a condition that puts them at particular risk from the virus.  This is the DOH's first recommendation since Washington, Oregon, and California joined forces to issue their own vaccine recommendations, citing "recent federal actions that undermine the independence of the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] CDC."  U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, an outspoken vaccine skeptic, swept the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) earlier this summer and replaced all members with his own appointees who hold similarly critical views on vaccination. ACIP is expected to meet in mid-September to issue its official recommendation as to who should get the COVID vaccine, and vaccines for hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).  States have historically aligned with the CDC's recommendation, but now many are following the West Coast's example by forming their own advisory bodies. The West Coast Health Alliance, which now includes Hawaii, is instead taking its guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Family Physicians.  Some states are striking out on their own. New York's Gov. Kathy Hochul announced plans to sign an executive order granting vaccine access to nearly anyone who wants it.  Potential for limited vaccine supply in September Washington's Department of Health warned that appointments to get the COVID-19 vaccine may be limited because some providers are still waiting to receive their supplies of the updated vaccine.  The DOH's Childhood and Adult Vaccine programs are not currently available and may not be accessible until late September or October.  "DOH urges everyone to remain patient and vigilant in staying up to date on vaccinations," the agency wrote in a release.  The department said the vaccine remains covered by most private insurers, by Apple Health (Washington's Medicaid program,) and Washington's Adult Vaccine and Childhood Vaccine programs, when they become available for the year. 

The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3%, also worse than expected and the highest level since 2021, the Labor Department reported Friday. WASHINGTON — U.S. employers added just 22,000 jobs last month as the labor market continued to cool under uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s economic policies. Hiring decelerated from 79,000 in July, the Labor Department said Friday, and came in below the roughly 80,000 economists had expected for August. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3%, also worse than expected and the highest level since 2021. When the Labor Department put out a disappointing jobs report a month ago, an enraged Trump responded by firing the economist in charge of compiling the numbers and nominating a loyalist to replace her. Talking to reporters Thursday night at a dinner with wealthy tech executives, Trump had seemed to shrug off whatever hiring numbers would come out Friday. “The real numbers that I’m talking about are going to be whatever it is, but will be in a year from now,’’ the president said. Factories shed 12,000 jobs in August, the fourth straight month that manufacturers have cut payrolls. Construction companies cut 7,000 jobs, and the federal government 15,000. Healthcare and social assistance companies – a category that spans hospital to daycare centers – added nearly 47,000 jobs last month and now account for 87% of the private-sector jobs created in 2025. Labor Department revisions lopped 21,000 jobs off June and July payrolls and revealed that employers had actually cut 13,000 jobs in June, the first monthly job losses since December 2020 when the job market was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. So far this year the economy is generating fewer than 75,000 new jobs a month, less than half the 168,000 jobs per month added last year and not even a quarter of the 400,000 jobs added monthly in the hiring boom of 2021-2023. The U.S. job market has lost momentum this year, partly because of the lingering effects of 11 interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve’s inflation fighters in 2022 and 2023 and partly because Trump’s policies, including his sweeping tariffs on imports from almost every country on earth, have created uncertainty that leaves managers reluctant to make hiring decisions. “The warning bell that rang in the labor market a month ago just got louder,’ Olu Sonola, head of U.S economic research at Fitch Rates, wrote in a commentary. "It’s hard to argue that tariff uncertainty isn’t a key driver of this weakness.” Democrats were quick to pounce on the report as evidence that Trump's policies were damaging the economy and hurting Americans. “Americans cannot afford any more of Trump’s disastrous economy. Hiring is frozen, jobless claims are rising, and the unemployment rate is now higher than it has been in years," said Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee. "The president is squeezing every wallet as he chases an illegal tariff agenda that is hiking costs, spooking investment, and stunting domestic manufacturing.'' Workers' average hourly earnings rose 0.3% from July and 3.7% from August 2024, exactly what forecasters expected. The year-over-year figure is nearing the 3.5% that many economists see as consistent with the Federal Reserve's 2% inflation target. Josh Hirt, senior economist at the financial services firm Vanguard, said that the tumbling payroll numbers reflect a reduced supply of workers – the consequence of an aging U.S. population and a reduction in immigration. “We should get more comfortable seeing numbers below 75,000 and below 50,000’’ new jobs a month, he said. “The likelihood of seeing negative (jobs) numbers is higher,’’ he said. The weak numbers make it all but certain that Federal Reserve will cut its benchmark interest rate at its next meeting, Sept. 16-17. Under chair Jerome Powell, the Fed has been reluctant to cut rates until it sees what impact Trump’s import taxes have on inflation. Vanguard's Hirt expects the Fed to reduce its benchmark rate – now a range of 4.25% to 4.5% – by a full percentage point over the next year and says it might cut rates at each of its next three meetings. Trump has repeatedly pressured Powell to lower rates, and has sought to fire one Fed governor, Lisa Cook, over allegations of mortgage fraud in what Cook claims is a pretext to gain control over the central bank. After seeing the weak July jobs numbers, Trump fired Erika McEntarfer, head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, baselessly claiming the hiring report had been rigged to hurt him politically. He has nominated a partisan idealogue, E.J. Antoni, to replace her. But for now, pending Antoni’s confirmation by the Senate, the jobs report is in the hands of the acting BLS commissioner, Bill Wiatrowski, a career Labor Department official. Josh Hirt, senior economist at the financial services firm Vanguard, said that the tumbling payroll numbers reflect a reduced supply of workers – the consequence of an aging U.S. population and a reduction in foreign workers as Trump cracks down on illegal immigration. “We should get more comfortable seeing numbers below 75,000 and below 50,000’’ new jobs a month, he said. “The likelihood of seeing negative (jobs) numbers is higher.’’ he said. Hirt expects the Fed to reduce its benchmark rate – now a range of 4.25% to 4.5% – by a full percentage point over the next year and says it might cut rates at each of its next three meetings. AP Writer Josh Boak contributed to this story.

The operation targeted one of Georgia’s largest and most high-profile manufacturing sites. BRYAN COUNTY, Ga. — U.S. immigration authorities on Thursday raided the sprawling site where Hyundai manufactures electric vehicles in southeast Georgia, conducting a search that shut down construction on an adjacent factory being built to produce EV batteries. The operation targeted one of Georgia’s largest and most high-profile manufacturing sites, touted by the governor and other officials as the largest economic development project in the state’s history. Hyundai Motor Group began manufacturing EVs a year ago at the $7.6 billion plant, which employs about 1,200 people. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Lindsay Williams confirmed that federal authorities were conducting an enforcement operation at the 3,000-acre (1,214-hectare) site west of Savannah. He said agents were focused on the construction site for the battery plant. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that agents executed a search warrant “as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes.” It did not say whether anyone was detained or arrested. However, in a X post from ATF Atlanta, the agency shared that it along with several others were at the plant and 450 people were apprehended. Georgia State Patrol troopers blocked roads to the Hyundai site. The Georgia Department of Public Safety confirmed they were dispatched to assist federal authorities. Video posted to social media Thursday showed workers in yellow safety vests lined up as a man wearing a face mask and a tactical vest with the letters HSI, which stands for Homeland Security Investigations, tells them: “We’re Homeland Security. We have a search warrant for the whole site.” “We need construction to cease immediately,” the man says. “We need all work to end on the site right now.” President Donald Trump's administration has undertaken sweeping ICE operations as part of a mass deportation agenda. Immigration officers have raided farms, construction sites, restaurants and auto repair shops. The Pew Research Center, citing preliminary Census Bureau data, says the U.S. labor force lost more than 1.2 million immigrants from January through July. That includes people who are in the country illegally as well as legal residents. In addition to making electric vehicles at the site facing Interstate 16 in Bryan County, Hyundai has also partnered with LG Energy Solution to build the battery plant. It's slated to open sometime next year. The joint venture, HL-GA Battery Company, “is cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities,” the company said in a statement. “To assist their work, we have paused construction.” Operations at Hyundai's EV manufacturing plant weren't interrupted, said plant spokesperson Bianca Johnson. “This did not impact people getting to work,” Johnson said in an email. “Production and normal office hours had already begun for the day” when authorities shut down access. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

In an emotional interview during her return to 'Today,' Sheinelle Jones called the loss of her husband of 17 years a "beautiful nightmare." WASHINGTON — "Today" co-host Sheinelle Jones returned to the morning show on Friday for the first time since her husband's death.  During an emotional interview with Savannah Guthrie, Jones publicly addressed the loss of her husband, Uche Ojeh, for the first time on the air. The 47-year-old has been absent from 'Today' since December, with her co-hosts giving periodic updates. In May, the morning show announced Jones' husband, Ojeh, had died at the age of 45 after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer called Glioblastoma. "In this moment, I'm okay, day to day, I'm okay," Jones said. "From a macro picture, how am I doing? My heart is shattered. My heart is shattered in a million pieces. The life that I've known since I was 19 is no more.  I've always wanted kids and I have three kids of my own now and they've lost their dad. And I'm their mom. It sucks." Jones called the experience "a beautiful nightmare." [embedded content] "We would just hold hands, and the nurses would come in, and they would call us the lovebirds. And we would just look at each other, say ‘I love you,’ and hold hands. But that’s what I mean by beautiful nightmare," Jones explained. "I found beauty in the nightmare."  "And trust me, it is a nightmare to watch a 45-year-old do two triathlons and live and breathe off of soccer and his kids...to take a guy like that and watch him have to deal with this fight was a nightmare," she added. Jones revealed that she kept on working at "Today" for nearly a year while dealing with her husband's illness behind the scenes. She said she would leave work and go spend time with Ojeh as he underwent chemotherapy treatment. “And I got to that place where I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, so when I decided to take a leave, that was why — because I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring,” she said. "And I was starting to feel like I didn’t want to miss it. I didn’t want to look back. I wanted to be strong, and I wanted to look back and know that I was strong. But I didn’t want to be so strong that I missed this blessing right in front of me — that I missed the fight, that I missed the beauty in the fight," she continued. Jones and Ojeh would've celebrated their 18th anniversary on Sept. 1 She hopes her return to the morning show can help others going through a similar situation. What kind of cancer did Sheinelle Jones' husband have? Glioblastoma is the most common form of brain cancer in adults, and is typically one of the most aggressive types. It is known for its rapid growth and invasion of surrounding brain tissue.  According to 'Today,' the couple met at Northwestern University in the late 90s when she offered to show him around campus on a tour. Eight years later, Ojeh proposed on the campus of their alma mater.  The couple have three children: Kayin and twins Uche and Clara. 

Hachikosela Muchimba, 45, was sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for a years-long scheme to steal checks from D.C. residents. A federal judge revoked the U.S. citizenship Wednesday of a former postal worker convicted of stealing more than $1.6 million in checks from the mailboxes of D.C. residents. Hachikosela Muchimba, 45, was convicted of mail theft, bank fraud and unlawful procurement of U.S. citizenship in March for a years-long scheme beginning in late 2020 to steal checks from mailboxes along his route out of the Friendship Post Office in Northwest D.C. Muchimba applied for naturalization in September 2021. By the time he took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States in May 2022, Muchimba had stolen more than $450,000 from postal customers. “This country gave a lot to you and all immigrants,” said U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras, whose own parents were Cuban émigrés. “Certainly my family has benefited from it. Unfortunately, you took advantage of that, which I hope you have remorse for.” Muchimba was arrested in September 2023 at Dulles International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Zambia. Prosecutors said Wednesday Contreras should not factor the possibility Muchimba will be deported into his sentence, saying he’s not currently under an ICE detainer. But deportation was almost certain, Contreras said. “Do you read the newspapers?” he asked dryly. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Borchert and Diane Lucas sought 108 months, or nine years, in prison for Muchimba. Contreras instead sentenced him to approximately five-and-a-half years behind bars, but granted prosecutors’ request to order nearly $600,000 in restitution. The government previously seized more than $400,000 from a bank account controlled by Muchimba in 2023. Muchimba declined to speak during his sentencing hearing Wednesday. In a memo filed by his attorney, Pleasant Brodnax, he described the years-long theft scheme as an “isolated episode in an otherwise law-abiding life.” Brodnax agreed with Contreras that deportation was all but certain. “I know they’re going to come after him,” Brodnax said. “There’s not doubt they’re going to do that.” Muchimba used the stolen money to fund what prosecutors described as a “lavish lifestyle” of gentlemen’s clubs and international travel. Although he allegedly enlisted others into his check-stealing scheme, prosecutors said Wednesday Muchimba had never given up their names and declined every opportunity to debrief investigators about others who might still be employed by the U.S. Postal Service. Contreras said Muchimba appeared to have had a good childhood in Zambia in an upper-income household. He received a college degree in accounting and was eventually employed as a postal worker. Contreras said the case “screamed for punishment” to deter others from the easy money a scheme like Muchimba’s presented. He said Muchimba had given ammo to those who would paint all immigrants as criminals. “I hope you are not used as an example by the government that immigrants commit crimes at a higher rate, which I don’t think is the case,” Contreras said. “But you are certainly part of the problem.” [embedded content]