C.B.P. News Release

Chicago CBP at O’Hare Find Imposter, Visa Fraud Cases

(Monday, March 15, 2010)

Chicago - Last week, Chicago Customs and Border Protection officers at O’Hare Airport stopped an imposter who pretended to be an individual identified on a valid passport and a passenger seeking to enter this country with a fraudulent visa.

The imposter, traveling from Germany, arrived in Chicago with an Italian passport and was processed by CBP officers who alerted to the discrepancy. An imposter is a person who is not the rightful owner of the valid travel documents they present for entry. The passenger claimed to be an Italian citizen born in Accra, Ghana but could not speak Italian or provide any details on how he obtained Italian citizenship. CBP also found that the photo on the passport was not that of the passenger and the signature on the document did not match the passenger’s signature on the admission paperwork. The subject said he came to Chicago for a two-week vacation but was found not to have any money or credit cards and had no place to stay. Based on the examination, the passenger was denied entry and returned to Italy.

On a separate flight, a male passenger from Guatemala arrived in Chicago on a flight from Mexico and attempted to enter this country with an altered visa that was originally issued to a female. CBP officers questioned the individual and found that the passenger paid $1,000 for the altered visa which had the original information removed and the fraudulent information substituted.

A CBP examination revealed that the subject entered the United States without inspection in 1998 and used an alias and fraudulent Social Security number to unlawfully work until 2001. A review of the passenger’s fingerprints revealed a 2001 apprehension and removal by Border Patrol and an extensive criminal history which included felony assault with a dangerous weapon, fraudulent activities, damage to property, and traffic offenses. As a result, Chicago CBP officers at O’Hare denied the passenger entry into the United States.

“Some people will do anything to get into this country,â€