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 You are in: Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs: Press Relations Office > Press Releases (Other) > 2007 > March 
Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
March 6, 2007


Former Foreign Service Officer Sentenced in Visa Fraud Conspiracy

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago led a 22-month investigation, with cooperation from Lithuanian law enforcement authorities, which resulted in a federal jury’s November 2006 conviction of former Foreign Service Officer Matthew Christ for conspiracy (to commit visa fraud).  On March 1, 2007, Judge John W. Darrah, Northern District of Illinois, sentenced Matthew Christ to 24 months incarceration; three years supervised release; and imposed a $5,000 fine.  The court ordered Christ to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on April 23, 2007. 

Christ was assigned as a Political-Economics Officer from August 1999 to July 2001 at the U.S. Embassy Vilnius, Lithuania, where he conspired to fraudulently provide nonimmigrant visas.  Nine others also were convicted in the case.  The co-conspirators obtained visas from Christ without appearing in person at the American Embassy in Vilnius, and then used the visas they fraudulently obtained to enter the United States. 

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The Department of State's Bureaus of Diplomatic Security and Consular Affairs work collaboratively to detect, combat, and prevent fraud or other criminal activities that threaten the integrity of U.S. visas and passports.  More information about the Bureau of Diplomatic Security is available from Public Affairs Officer L. Kendal Smith at (571) 345-2509, or on-line at www.state.gov/m/ds.



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