Syrian Torturer Lied to US, Found Guilty

⏱ 3 min read

Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 73, a former high-ranking official in the Assad regime and notorious head of Adra Prison in Damascus, was found guilty today of ordering the brutal torture of inmates, then brazenly lying to U.S. authorities to secure a green card and attempt to become a naturalized citizen. The verdict came in a Los Angeles federal courtroom after a jury deliberated on the evidence in a case spanning years. He was arrested in Lexington, South Carolina in July 2024, and has been held in Los Angeles since.

Prosecutors laid out a harrowing case detailing Alsheikh’s direct involvement in the systematic abuse of prisoners at Adra, a facility known for its horrific conditions. The charges included one count of conspiracy to commit torture, and three counts of torture itself. Alsheikh wasn’t just giving orders; witnesses testified he actively participated in the suffering, seeking to silence political dissent through unimaginable pain.

The scheme unraveled when Alsheikh applied for immigration benefits. He deliberately concealed his past as a prison chief responsible for widespread atrocities. The jury also found him guilty of fraud in possessing and using an immigration document and attempted naturalization fraud.

“Our country is not a refuge for criminals,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, underscoring the gravity of the case. Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) worked tirelessly to expose Alsheikh’s deception, peeling back layers of lies to reveal the true extent of his crimes. Sentencing is pending, but Alsheikh faces a lengthy prison term for his actions both in Syria and in his attempt to evade justice in the U.S.