| June 27, 2006 Bureau of Diplomatic Security IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 27, 2006 On June 15, 2006, Russell Magdytch pled guilty in San Francisco federal court to the fraudulent use of false identity documents. Magdytch previously had applied for and obtained a United States passport in the identity of a deceased California man. After obtaining this false passport, Magdtych used it at San Francisco International Airport on June 6, 2006, to re-enter the U.S. after arriving on an international airline flight from Hong Kong. Special Agents from the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service had been tracking Magdytch and arrested him for passport fraud immediately upon his arrival at San Francisco International Airport. Evidence identified Magdytch as a non-U.S. citizen, and therefore ineligible for a United States passport. The Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, Ambassador Richard Griffin, said, "The message from this conviction is that we continue to vigorously pursue and prosecute anyone who commits or attempts to commit this type of fraud." This case was investigated by the San Francisco and Phoenix offices of the Diplomatic Security Service, and the Sacramento FBI. Diplomatic Security is a worldwide law enforcement and security arm of the U.S. Department of State with special agents assigned to U.S. diplomatic missions overseas and field offices throughout the United States. Diplomatic Security special agents conduct passport and visa fraud investigations worldwide and are responsible for security at 285 U.S. diplomatic facilities around the world. Contact: Special Agent Tom Depenbrock
|
 | |||
|
