Summary

Forty-two more foreign nationals pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Charlotte, NC, as a result of a joint investigation by OIG, INS, and the Social Security Administration OIG. The defendants pleaded guilty to charges of gaining access to secure areas of the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport under false pretenses. The investigation resulted in 66 indictments on March 8 and the arrest of 51 individuals on charges of use of false immigration documents, fraudulent Social Security numbers, and falsified security badge applications. A total of 49 defendants have now pleaded guilty and are being processed for deportation; two are scheduled for criminal trials beginning April 22. An additional 15 defendants are fugitives.