Related Federal Cases
- Shawn Hilliard, Bank Fraud, Pennsylvania 2024 · Pennsylvania
- Patrick Giblin, Dating Scam Securities Fraud, Pennsylvania 2023 · Pennsylvania
- Marc Henry Menard, Investment Fraud Scheme, Mineola NY, 2023 · Pennsylvania
- Ijaz Butt Sentenced to 63 Months for Credit Card Fraud, New York NY… · Pennsylvania
- Norman D’Souza, $18M Accounting Fraud, NJ 2024 · Pennsylvania
Defendant Pleads Guilty to Immigration Fraud
PHILADELPHIA – In a shocking turn of events, Laye Sekou Camara, 46, of Mays Landing, New Jersey, has pleaded guilty to using and possessing a green card that he unlawfully obtained by making false statements about his involvement in the civil war in Liberia.
Camara, a former Liberian rebel general, fought against the Liberian government led by then-President Charles Taylor from approximately 1999 to 2003. He entered the United States pursuant to an immigrant visa and later obtained Lawful Permanent Resident status and a green card by falsely stating on immigration forms that he had never participated in extrajudicial killings or other acts of violence; had never been involved with a paramilitary unit, rebel group, or guerrilla group; and had never engaged in the recruitment or use of child soldiers.
According to court documents, Camara used the green card when he applied for a Pennsylvania identification card in 2017, applied for a New Jersey home health care aide license in 2020, and sought employment at a New Jersey-based home health care agency in 2020, and he was in possession of the green card when he was arrested in 2022 at JFK International Airport in New York before attempting to board an international flight.
Camara is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. ‘Respecting both human dignity and the rule of law is fundamental to who we are as a nation,’ said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. ‘Camara lied about his brutal history in Liberia to get a green card and live in the United States, enjoying the benefits and protections provided by our government’s laws, even as he flouted them. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal and international partners to deny human rights violators safe haven in this country.’
‘The guilty plea by Laye Sekou Camara is another resounding example of coordination and collaboration targeting human rights violators globally,’ said Edward V. Owens, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia. ‘Camara fraudulently claimed that he had not participated in Liberia’s civil war. In fact, Camara, also known as ‘Dragon Master,’ was a high-ranking member of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebel group during Liberia’s Second Civil War. As such, he was involved in committing atrocities, including the massacre of civilians, and the recruitment of child soldiers.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE, or complete the FBI online tip form or the ICE online tip form.
This case is being investigated by HSI, with assistance from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service at the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Linwood C. Wright Jr., Patrick Brown, and Kelly M. Harrell are prosecuting the case, with Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
