SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Chasib Hafedeh Saadoon Al Fawadi (“Al Fawadi”), 36, an Iraqi citizen residing in Geddes, New York, pled guilty on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, to making false statements in a U.S immigration application for permanent residency, and making false statements to U.S. immigration officials during an oral interview for permanent residency, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office.
As part of his guilty plea, Al Fawadi admitted that in a written application given to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in Syracuse, New York, on June 8, 2017, he falsely denied being a member of any group engaged in violent activities. Al Fawadi’ statement was false because while living in Iraq, he was a member of As’ib Ahl al-Haq, an Iranian-backed Shiite militia and paramilitary organization. Also, as part of his guilty plea, Al Fawadi admitted that he falsely reaffirmed his previous written statements during an in-person oral interview with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in Syracuse on April 9, 2019.
Sentencing in this case is scheduled for March 8, 2022, in Binghamton, New York, at which time Al Fawadi faces a maximum of up to 10 years for his false written statements, and up to 5 years imprisonment for his false oral statements to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.00 on each count of conviction, and a post-imprisonment term of supervised release of up to 3 years. 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. Al Fawadi remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending the imposition of sentence.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer.
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