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U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security and former South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem became a target of public scrutiny after the surprising incident. On April 20th 2025 during dinner at a restaurant in Washington, D.C. her purse was stolen which was raising attention on her personal finances and public reputation.
The stolen item was not an ordinary handbag. It was a Gucci B large shoulder bag which is priced at US$4,400 on the official website of the brand. They also discovered a Louis Vuitton Clemence purse valued at approximately US$600 inside it. The bag was said to have US$3,000 cash, Noem’s passport, driver’s license and Homeland Security access credentials. According to police, The money was an Easter present when she visited her children and grandchildren.
Gucci grabbed! Thief swipes DHS chief’s $3K cash-filled designer bag
— RT (@RT_com) April 22, 2025
Kristi Noem’s purse, containing cash and her passport, was stolen during a dinner in Washington when a thief brushed by and snatched it, DHS revealed.
Can she secure the border if she can’t secure her bag? pic.twitter.com/KKdkNQj81L
This event has prompted greater public curiosity about Noem’s financial position. Her net worth is estimated to be widely different. Her net worth has been estimated by some sources to be approximately $5 million, drawn from her political career, entrepreneurial activities and investments. Her wealth has been estimated by others at up to $19 million including earnings from her family ranch, insurance company, real estate investments and book royalties.
Apart from her entrepreneurial activities Noem has written books such as “Not My First Rodeo” and “No Going Back” which have contributed to her wealth in the form of royalties. She also earns money through public speaking with charges depending on the event.
Noem’s celebrity lifestyle and security responsibilities have kept her in the spotlight. She was visited in El Salvador’s notorious mega prison last month and offered warning to gang members who try to cross into the U.S. cementing her hardline position on border security.
The robbery has created online buzz particularly on why Noem, a high-ranking government official, was carrying so much cash. Critics and netizens questioned the usefulness and sense of her carrying expensive accessories while serving in a sensitive federal position.
