Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Hussien Noor Hussien, 56, of Burlington, Vermont, was convicted today following a three-day jury trial in U.S. District Court of personage of another in a naturalization proceeding, procuring naturalization contrary to law, and making a false statement on a passport application.
Court records and trial evidence revealed that in 2004, Hussien entered the United States as a refugee under the name Abukar Hassan Abdule. He entered with the wife and children of the true Abukar Hassan Abdule. In 2011, he applied for U.S. citizenship under the same name. He affirmed on his citizenship application and during an in-person citizenship interview in South Portland, Maine, that his name was Abukar Hassan Abdule. He ultimately was naturalized under the same name. After becoming a U.S. citizen, he applied for a U.S. passport under the name Abukar Hassan Abdule. In 2013, he filed in Vermont state court to legally change his name in the U.S. from Abukar Hassan Abdule to Hussien Noor Hussien, the name he was given at birth.
Hussien faces a maximum of five years in prison on the count of personage of another in a naturalization proceeding, up to ten years in prison on the other two counts, and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. In addition, by law, due to the conviction for procuring naturalization contrary to law, the Court must revoke Hussien’s citizenship. Hussien will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
