Justice Department Targets Citizenship Fraud in Recent Cases
The Justice Department announced it has secured the denaturalization of two individuals convicted of serious crimes and is suing to revoke the citizenship of a third for marriage fraud. The individuals, originally from Ukraine, Cuba, and Lebanon, allegedly obtained U.S. citizenship through fraudulent means.
American citizenship is a sacred privilege — not a cheap status that can be obtained dishonestly.
Vladimir Volgaev, a Ukraine native, concealed his involvement in a scheme to smuggle over a thousand firearm components out of the U.S. and was convicted in 2020.
Mirelys Cabrera Diaz, a Cuban immigrant, admitted to participating in a healthcare fraud conspiracy before naturalizing. She was convicted in 2019 and ordered to pay $6 million in restitution.
Alec Nasreddine Kassir, from Lebanon, pleaded guilty to passport fraud after falsely claiming to be living with his U.S. citizen spouse. He now faces citizenship revocation.
Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate emphasized the department's commitment to ensuring that citizenship fraudsters are held accountable. "We will not reward this kind of behavior," he stated.