George L. Wilson, Passport Fraud, Rhode Island 2023

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – In a brazen case of identity theft, George L. Wilson, a 54-year-old Dominican national, has been sentenced to 8 months in federal prison for making false statements on a passport application and making false statements to a government agent.

According to information presented to the court, Wilson used the personal identifying information of a person living in the United States Virgin Islands to apply for a name change, and to obtain a U.S. passport and social security card.

The investigation, led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and immigration agents, revealed that in 1989, Wilson, purporting to be Alwyn E. Todman, petitioned the state of Connecticut and was granted a name change to George L. Wilson. He did so using Todman’s person identifying information, including Todman’s date of birth and social security number.

In May 2013, Wilson applied for and was granted a U.S. passport, having provided his name and Todman’s personal identifying information. Todman passed away in the United States Virgin Islands in December 2014.

Wilson’s scheme was uncovered in April 2015, when he visited the Pawtucket Social Security Administration office to inquire about getting a ‘death notice’ removed from the social security number he was using. Wilson, attempting to show that the ‘death notice’ was in error, presented to a Social Security Administration manager a social security card with his name and Todman’s social security number, and his fraudulently obtained passport which contained his name and photograph, but which also contained some of Todman’s personal identifying information.

As a result of further investigation by HSI agents, Wilson was arrested in August 2015. Wilson admitted that he was born in the Dominican Republic and he provided a date of birth different from the one he used to obtain a U.S. passport.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zechariah Chafee. The matter was investigated with the assistance of the Office of Inspector General – Social Security Administration.

Wilson, a Dominican national, will face deportation proceedings upon completion of his prison term.

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