Caswell Richards, Passport Fraud, New York 2021

A Jamaican citizen has pleaded guilty to passport fraud in a New York court, according to U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross. Caswell Richards, 55, of Jamaica, admitted to using a false statement to obtain a U.S. passport.

The crime was committed in December 2020, when Richards used another individual’s name and birth certificate to apply for and secure a United States passport. On the application, Richards also indicated that there were no other names he had used in the past and affirmed to a Passport Acceptance Agent that all the information provided was true and correct.

Richards was subsequently caught attempting to enter the United States at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry on November 25, 2021, using the fraudulent passport. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 5, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Richards is currently free on bail until the sentencing hearing.

The case highlights the importance of verifying the authenticity of passports and the consequences of attempting to obtain one through false means.

For more information, contact Barbara Burns at (716) 843-5817 or via fax at (716) 551-3051.

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