Alireza Baradaran Rafii, 57, of Tampa, has been indicted on federal charges of attempting to obtain U.S. citizenship unlawfully and making false statements under oath.
The indictment alleges that Rafii lied on his naturalization application and during his interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) about his prior military service and weapons training. Specifically, he claimed he had never served in any military or paramilitary unit, nor received any weapons training, despite having served in the Iranian military from 1992 to 1994.
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If convicted, Rafii could face up to 15 years in federal prison. It is important to remember that an indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan
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