Federal authorities have accused a Middle Eastern man of illegally living in Pittsburgh, misusing visas and providing a false name among other related offenses.
Mahmoud Almasry, 44, also known as Mohammad Jiham, had been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, and aggravated identify theft, federal authorities announced Friday.
According to the indictment, Almasry assumed the identity of a deceased man to fraudulently gain entry into the United States in 2016 and continued to use that person’s name for the next decade.
Federal documents indicate Almasry used the name Mohammad Jiham when applying for refuge status in July 2016.
Authorities said Jiham was the name of Almasry’s wife’s first husband. Jiham was dead when Almasry assumed Jiham’s identity to get in to the United States.
Federal documents state Almasry entered the country as a refugee under the other name Nov. 28, 2016.
He applied for and was issued a Social Security card as Jiman within two weeks.
Authorities said Almasry applied for and was issued lawful permanent residence status and received a permanent resident card as Jiham on Oct. 24, 2018.
He then signed, under penalty of perjury, an application for naturalization as Jiham on Jan. 9, 2024 and continued to use the alias.
The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the indictment.