A former Syrian prison official has been indicted on charges of immigration fraud for his alleged false statements to U.S. immigration authorities, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 72, residing in Lexington, South Carolina, is accused of covering up his history with the Syrian regime, including his reported involvement in the mistreatment of prisoners while overseeing Damascus Central Prison.
Arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on July 10, Alsheikh faces charges relating to the procurement of a green card and attempted naturalization fraud, using information he allegedly knew to be false. "Samir Alsheikh attempted to settle in Southern California after allegedly participating in grave abuses while part of the Assad regime in Syria," said United States Attorney Martin Estrada in a statement provided by the Justice Department.
The indictment specifies that from approximately 2005 to 2010, while Alsheikh served as the head of Adra Prison, political dissidents among other prisoners were subject to severe physical abuse. Following his tenure at the prison, he was purportedly appointed governor of the province of Deir Ez-Zour by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The Department of Justice documents allege that during Alsheikh's immigration applications, he failed to disclose his employment at the prison, persecution of individuals due to political opinion, and involvement in the harm of others.
Alsheikh, who entered the U.S. in 2020 with a visa, became a lawful permanent resident, and obtained a green card, made similar false statements on his application for U.S. citizenship in 2023, court documents suggest. While the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided help, the case investigation is in cooperation with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI, supported by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the HSI-led Human Rights Violators and War Criminals Center.
If convicted of these crimes, Alsheikh may be subjected to a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. His arraignment is currently scheduled for August 16 in the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Public cooperation is being encouraged by law enforcement seeking information about human rights violators currently in the U.S. People can submit tips through the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE, as well as complete the agencies' online tip forms. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua O. Mausner of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Justice Department Trial Attorneys Patrick Jasperse and Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section.
