Koffi Roudolphe Sewoul, 40, of Lome, Togo, pled guilty today to misuse of a passport, admitting he tried to sneak into the United States using his brother’s stolen identity. The charge cuts deep into a growing pattern of transnational document fraud, with Sewoul’s actions unfolding across three continents in a matter of days.
The crime began on October 12, 2016, when Sewoul used the forged travel document to fly from Togo to Accra, Ghana. Two days later, on October 13, he boarded a flight from Ghana to Montreal, Quebec, still posing as his brother. Then, on October 15, 2016, he arrived at the Champlain Port of Entry in upstate New York, flashing the same U.S. passport in a brazen attempt to cross into the United States.
Border agents didn’t buy the act. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials flagged inconsistencies and took Sewoul into custody. He now admits the passport wasn’t his and that he never had the legal right to use it. The document belonged to his brother, a U.S. citizen — a fact that only加重s the severity of the deception.
United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Steven Bronson, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Port Director for Champlain, confirmed the guilty plea. The case, built on travel records, document forensics, and Sewoul’s own admissions, leaves little room for appeal. This was not a paperwork error — it was deliberate fraud.
Sewoul now faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. Senior District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn will determine the final sentence, weighing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, the nature of the offense, and any aggravating factors. Deception at the border is no small-time hustle — it’s a federal felony with life-altering consequences.
The investigation was carried out by United States Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting the case. As global travel rebounds, so does the risk of identity trafficking — and Sewoul’s downfall serves as a warning: U.S. border controls are watching.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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