BOSTON - A federal jury today convicted a Rwandan woman of lying to enter the country and again when seeking asylum.
Prudence Kantengwa, a/k/a Prudentienne, 47, of Boston, who is a native and citizen of Rwanda, was convicted of fraud in immigration documents, visa fraud, perjury during testimony before an immigration judge and obstruction of administrative proceedings. Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for July 31, 2012.
Evidence at trial revealed that on Jan. 29, 2004, when Kantengwa entered the United States, she possessed and used a non-immigrant visa she had fraudulently obtained by providing false information when she submitted with her visa application. After arriving in the U.S., on March 8, 2004, she provided false information to the U.S. government on a form which, if approved, would allow her to remain in the country. On specific dates between August 2006 and May 2008, Kantengwa committed perjury during testimony before an immigration court. Between March 2004 and December 2008, Kantengwa endeavored to obstruct administrative proceedings being conducted in connection with her application to stay in the U.S., by providing false and misleading testimony and submissions. The questions to which Kantengwa provided false information all involved her activities and associations during the Rwandan genocide in 1994.
Kantengwa faces up to 10 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine, on the fraudulent immigration document charges. Kantengwa also faces five years in prison, to be followed by three years supervised release and a $250,000 fine on each of the perjury and obstruction of administrative proceedings convictions.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of ICE-Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and James P. Ennis, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aloke S. Chakravarty, Jeffrey Auerhahn and John A. Capin of Ortiz’s Anti-Terrorism and National Security Unit.
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