FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
JULY 10, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MOUNT RAINIER MAN CHARGED IN SCHEME TO
ASSUME IDENTITY OF U.S. MILITARY MAN
Imposter Allegedly Received Over $41,800 from Lenders
Baltimore, Maryland - “John Doe,” of Mt. Rainier, Maryland, whose true identity remains unknown at this time, is charged by federal complaint with aggravated identity theft, bank fraud and misuse of a passport arising from a scheme to assume the identity of a U.S. military serviceman in order to unlawfully obtain loans and credit cards, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. The criminal complaint was filed on July 6, 2007 and John Doe had his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court. The investigation is continuing.
According to court documents, at the age of almost four years old, the victim entered the United States in 1981 from Ghana on an immigrant visa, joining his mother who had already immigrated. In February 2005, the victim filed an expedited application to become a naturalized United States citizen based on his four years of service in the U.S. military. In examining the victim’s alien file, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) discovered that an unknown person, “John Doe,” had entered the United States in September 1999 and October 2001 using the victim’s name and identifying information in an altered passport and birth certificate. Because “John Doe” obtained immigration benefits under the victim’s name, USCIS was unable to naturalize the victim.
The defendant not only used the victim’s identity to establish a life inside the United States, but also to apply for and receive four student loans, one automotive loan, and three revolving credit accounts, fraudulently receiving in excess of $41,800 from lenders from October 2003 to 2007.
The defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for misuse of a passport; 30 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for bank fraud; and 2 years in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release for aggravated identity theft.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Budlow, who is prosecuting the case.