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  4. CBP Officers in Champlain, N.Y. Arrest Imposter

CBP Officers in Champlain, N.Y. Arrest Imposter

Release Date
Sat, 06/05/2010

Champlain, N.Y. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection Field Operations announced the arrest of a citizen of Cameroon on charges of false claim to United States citizenship.

On June 3, CBP officers encountered a 39-year-old female as she applied for admission into the United States at the Champlain, N.Y. port of entry. The subject presented a United States passport as proof of citizenship and advised the CBP officer that she was returning after attending a baby shower in Montreal. Initial examination of the presented document revealed what appeared to be inconsistencies on the biographic page. The subject was referred to CBP secondary enforcement for verification of her immigration status.

During the course of the secondary interview, the subject again stated that she was a citizen of the United States residing in the New York City area. Upon further inspection of her presented document, CBP officers noticed that the photograph contained on the biographic page of the passport did not bear an exact resemblance to the individual claiming ownership. A search of the subject's personal belongings revealed a Cameroon passport bearing the name Marie Bowen.

When confronted with the evidence discovered by CBP, the subject recanted her original claim to U.S. citizenship and advised CBP officers that she was in fact a citizen of Cameroon. She further claimed that she was the lawful owner of the Cameroon passport and her true identity was that of Marie Bowen.

Bowen was arrested by CBP Field Operations on federal charges of false claim to United States citizenship. She was transported to the Washington County, N.Y. jail pending prosecution by the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021