ROANOKE, VIRGINIA – A brazen passport scam has been foiled in Roanoke, leaving three residents facing serious charges.
According to a federal indictment, George Anyuon, 35, Joseph Albino, 33, and Abuk Kuac, 29, were arrested on June 10 for conspiring to obtain a fraudulent passport.
The indictment alleges that the trio, along with an unnamed ‘Witness One,’ hatched a plan to obtain a false passport with a fictitious name. The passport was intended to be used by ‘Witness One’ to flee the country and avoid unrelated criminal charges.
As part of the scheme, ‘Witness One’ was expected to pay between $1,000 and $2,000 for the service, with additional payment made in the form of transferring ownership of a small Roanoke business and a car to the conspirators.
The indictment also claims that the conspirators relied on their connections in Washington D.C. embassies to obtain the false passport. ‘Witness One’ would then travel to a D.C. airport and use the fake passport to leave the United States.
The investigation, led by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (H.S.I.), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Virginia State Police, the United States Marshals Service, and the United States Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, has resulted in the indictment of the three Roanoke residents.
Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel Bubar and Laura Day Rottenborn are prosecuting the case. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible penalty of up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
A Grand Jury Indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
ðŸâ€â€™ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
