Omid Kazemimanesh, 38, of Mississauga, Ontario, was arrested and charged with making a false statement, a federal crime that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York announced on Tuesday.
Kazemimanesh attempted to enter the United States at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge Port of Entry on October 18, 2024. During the primary inspection, he stated that he had served in the Iranian Army approximately 13 years ago, but could not provide any supporting documentation of his military service. As a result, Kazemimanesh was denied entry and informed that he would need to present an Iranian military completion card and other documents verifying his military service.
Kazemimanesh returned to the port of entry on March 8, 2025, where, during a secondary inspection, he presented an Iranian military service card and discharge paperwork, claiming they were original documents issued by the Iranian government. He stated that he received these documents three to four months after completing his service with the Iran Army Ground Forces.
However, a Customs and Border Protection officer examined the documents and suspected they were fraudulent. Upon further scrutiny, officials determined that the documents were indeed fake.
Kazemimanesh now faces serious charges for attempting to enter the U.S. with fraudulent military service documents. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
