CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A Nigerian woman got only a $1,500 fine — and no prison time — for falsely telling U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers she was a U.S. citizen.
Ifeoma Inneh, 42, of Abuja, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Malloy to pay a $1,500 fine for making false representations to federal officers at the Cyril E. King Airport, U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith said.
According to court documents, on June 4, 2021, Inneh was a ticketed passenger on a United Airlines Flight departing from St. Thomas to Newark, New Jersey.
During CBP inspection, Inneh presented a Pennsylvania driver’s license and stated that she is a citizen of the United States.
Inneh further stated that she entered the United States on a student visa and had subsequently become a lawful permanent resident and naturalized United States citizen.
CBP officers then conducted a background check and determined that Inneh was neither a lawful permanent resident nor a citizen of the United States, and that her presence in the United States was unlawful.
Inneh’s sentencing was on September 8 and federal prosecutors released the judge’s ruling today.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and CBP. It was
prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Baker.