United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

NIGERIAN CITIZEN CHARGED WITH IDENTITY THEFT, FRAUD AND IMMIGRATION OFFENSES

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment today charging JOEY CHIBUKO, also known as “Joseph Pride” and other aliases, 54, a citizen of Nigeria last residing in West Hartford, with one count of U.S. passport fraud, one count of making a false claim of U.S. citizenship, two counts of social security fraud, two counts of identity fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft.

The indictment alleges that, in June 2003, CHIBUKO applied for a U.S. passport using a false identity.  The indictment further alleges that between 2006 and 2009, CHIBUKO used a false identity to defraud the Social Security Administration and the United States, and that he falsely represented himself to be a citizen of the United States.

If convicted, CHIBUKO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on the passport fraud count, a maximum term of imprisonment of three years for making a false claim of U.S. citizenship, a maximum term of imprisonment of five years of each of the two counts of social security fraud, and a maximum term of imprisonment of one year on each of the two counts of identity fraud.  If convicted of aggravated identity theft, CHIBUKO faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of two years, which must be imposed consecutively to any other sentence imposed.

CHIBUKO has been detained since his arrest on September 9, 2010.

U.S. Attorney Fein stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case has been investigated by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security; the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the West Hartford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher M. Mattei.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov