Score:   1
Docket Number:   ND-NY  5:20-cr-00241
Case Name:   USA v. Al Fawadi
  Press Releases:
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Chasib Hafedh Saadoon Al Fawadi, age 35, of Syracuse, appeared yesterday in federal court on an indictment charging him with making false statements in connection with his application to obtain a green card.

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Al Fawadi appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Andrew T. Baxter, who ordered him detained pending a detention hearing on October 8, 2020.

According to the indictment, Al Fawadi, an Iraqi citizen, made false statements in connection with his application to become a lawful permanent resident.  Specifically, the indictment alleges that he made false statements (1) on his United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Form I-485 for permanent residence; (2) to an official of the USCIS, a component of the Department of Homeland Security, during an interview conducted on April 9, 2019, in connection with his application for permanent residence; and (3) to another USCIS official on October 30, 2019.

As detailed in the indictment, Al Fawadi falsely answered questions where honest answers would have revealed that (1) he had been a member of and affiliated with Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, an Iranian-backed Shiite militia and paramilitary organization and group whose members routinely used weapons against others and threatened to do so; (2) he had also assisted and provided material support to Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq knowing that it had engaged in and conspired to engage in sabotage, kidnapping, political assassination, hijacking, and other forms of terrorist activity; (3) he had received military, paramilitary and weapons training; and (4) he had traveled to Iran and Syria.  By instead providing false answers, Al Fawadi attempted to conceal all of this information from the USCIS.

According to the indictment, on March 17, 2015, while in Turkey, Al Fawadi applied for classification as a refugee and to be admitted to the United States along with his family in large part on his claim that, while in Iraq, he was persecuted and threatened by Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq because he had refused to assist in the kidnappings of Sunni Muslims.

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

If convicted, Al Fawadi faces up to 5 years in prison on each false statement charge, up to 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release, and a maximum $250,000 fine.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Chasib Hafedh Saadoon Al Fawadi, age 35, of Syracuse, was charged yesterday by indictment with making false statements in connection with his application to obtain a green card.

Acting United States Attorney Bacon stated: “As alleged in the indictment, Al Fawadi lied to U.S. authorities to conceal his membership in, and support of, an Iranian-backed militia that has carried out attacks in Iraq and Syria. National security is our number one priority. With our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively investigate and seek charges against immigration applicants who lie about their affiliation with violent, extremist organizations.”

Thomas F. Relford, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office, stated: “The FBI works tirelessly to protect the American people from dangerous individuals seeking to cause harm. Mr. Al Fawadi’s alleged fraudulent actions could have resulted in a member of a violent, Iranian-backed militia becoming a United States citizen. The FBI will continue to work diligently with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure the safety of every American.”

According to the indictment, Al Fawadi, an Iraqi citizen, made false statements in connection with his application to become a lawful permanent resident.  Specifically, the indictment alleges that he made false statements (1) on his United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Form I-485 for permanent residence; (2) to an official of the USCIS, a component of the Department of Homeland Security, during an interview conducted on April 9, 2019, in connection with his application for permanent residence; and (3) to another USCIS official on October 30, 2019.

As detailed in the indictment, Al Fawadi falsely answered questions where honest answers would have revealed that (1) he had been a member of and affiliated with Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, an Iranian-backed Shiite militia and paramilitary organization and group whose members routinely used weapons against others and threatened to do so; (2) he had also assisted and provided material support to Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq knowing that it had engaged in and conspired to engage in sabotage, kidnapping, political assassination, hijacking, and other forms of terrorist activity; (3) he had received military, paramilitary and weapons training; and (4) he had traveled to Iran and Syria.  By instead providing false answers, Al Fawadi attempted to conceal all of this information from the USCIS.

According to the indictment, on March 17, 2015, while in Turkey, Al Fawadi applied for classification as a refugee and to be admitted to the United States along with his family in large part on his claim that, while in Iraq, he was persecuted and threatened by Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq because he had refused to assist in the kidnappings of Sunni Muslims.

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

If convicted, Al Fawadi faces up to 5 years in prison on each false statement charge, up to 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release, and a maximum $250,000 fine.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer.

Docket (0 Docs):   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/144LuJRDJ2sggHksDPB7U8POVyTVOxM4WVAk_VfSZAo0
  Last Updated: 2023-10-29 08:01:06 UTC
Description: The fiscal year of the data file obtained from the AOUSC
Format: YYYY

Description: The code of the federal judicial circuit where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the federal judicial district where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the district office where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: Docket number assigned by the district to the case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which cannot be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which can be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A sequential number indicating whether a case is an original proceeding or a reopen
Format: N5

Description: Case type associated with the current defendant record
Format: A2

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, defendant number, and reopen sequence number
Format: A18

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, and reopen sequence number
Format: A15

Description: The status of the defendant as assigned by the AOUSC
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the fugitive status of a defendant
Format: A1

Description: The date upon which a defendant became a fugitive
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which a fugitive defendant was taken into custody
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date when a case was first docketed in the district court
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which proceedings in a case commenced on charges pending in the district court where the defendant appeared, or the date of the defendant’s felony-waiver of indictment
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code used to identify the nature of the proceeding
Format: N2

Description: The date when a defendant first appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code indicating the type of legal counsel assigned to a defendant
Format: N2

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE1
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the second highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE2
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE2
Format: A3

Description: The FIPS code used to indicate the county or parish where an offense was committed
Format: A5

Description: The date of the last action taken on the record
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which judicial proceedings before the court concluded
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the final sentence is recorded on the docket
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the case was closed
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The total fine imposed at sentencing for all offenses of which the defendant was convicted and a fine was imposed
Format: N8

Description: A count of defendants filed including inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed excluding inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings commenced
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated including interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated excluding interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings terminated
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period including long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period excluding long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: The source from which the data were loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: A10

Description: A sequential number indicating the iteration of the defendant record
Format: N2

Description: The date the record was loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: Statistical year ID label on data file obtained from the AOUSC which represents termination year
Format: YYYY

Data imported from FJC Integrated Database
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