Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem fell victim to a thief while eating dinner at a downtown Washington, DC, restaurant Sunday night, two sources familiar with the incident, including a law enforcement source, told CNN.

The Secret Service, which provides security for Noem, reviewed security camera footage at the restaurant and saw an unknown white male wearing a medical mask steal her bag and leave the restaurant.

The thief got away with Noem’s driver’s license, medication, apartment keys, passport, DHS access badge, makeup bag, blank checks, and about $3,000 in cash, the law enforcement source said.

  • lemmy_user_838586@lemmy.world
    1232·
    1 day ago

    Also, according to our own laws, she was doing something unlawful because why would she need $3,000 in cash?! They’d civil forfeiture that shit if a normal person got caught with that much cash on them.

    • Shertson@lemmy.world
      29·
      22 hours ago

      Yeah, when I served on a jury, the prosecutor was very clear that the only reason someone carried more than $100 in cash was for drugs or other illicit dealings.

      • Waraugh@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        2·
        13 hours ago

        I take cash out of an atm a few times a year to tip at restaurants and such and just pick $200 because that’s the highest one button click that shows up. $100 seems low to me. I think I got over $100 in my wallet more days of the year than not and I’m not into anything nefarious or even make much money, I just don’t use cash very often but often enough that having it available is handy. Theirs Girl Scouts, fire fighter donations at the grocery, neighborhood sports or band raffles, just random ass things that happen regular enough that having cash throughout the year makes it easier to feel part of the community.

        • futatorius@lemm.ee
          1·
          7 hours ago

          I used to run the household finances on a cash basis for everything but periodic payments (so basically discretionary spending). It worked pretty well. You run out, you wait until the next payday. If you have an emergency, that’s handled through reserves. Urgent non-emergencies get repaid by reducing next pay period’s cash.

          Now most transactions are just on a credit card. But the kids are grown, so there’s much more predictability in our spending patterns.