Citizen of Togo Sentenced for Passport Fraud

ALBANY, NEW YORK –Koffi Roudolphe Sewoul, age 40, and a citizen of Togo, was sentenced today to time served (7 months in jail) for misusing a United States passport in an attempt to enter the United States.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Steve Bronson, Acting Port Director, United States Customs and Border Protection.

On October 15, 2016, Sewoul attempted to enter the United States at the Champlain Port of Entry using his brother’s United States passport. Upon questioning, Sewoul admitted the passport belonged to his brother. An examination of airline itineraries showed Sewoul successfully used the passport to travel from Lome, Togo, to Accra, Ghana, on October 12, 2016, and then from Ghana to Brussels, Belgium, to Montreal, Quebec, on October 13.

Following his sentencing, Sewoul was transferred to the custody of the Department of Homeland Security, which will place Sewoul into removal proceedings.

This case was investigated by United States Customs and Border Protection and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer.