U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced the arrest of Omid Kazemimanesh, a 38-year-old resident of Mississauga, Ontario. Kazemimanesh faces charges for making a false statement, which could lead to a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright is handling the case. According to Wright, Kazemimanesh attempted to enter the United States on October 18, 2024, at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge Port of Entry. During primary inspection, he claimed past service in the Iranian Army but failed to provide documentation verifying this claim. Consequently, he was denied entry and informed that he would need his military completion card and supporting documents from the Iranian military for future entry attempts.
On March 8, 2025, Kazemimanesh returned to the same port of entry with an Iranian military service card and discharge paperwork. He asserted these documents were original and issued by the Iranian government shortly after his military service with Iran Army Ground Forces ended. However, upon examination by Customs and Border Protection officers, suspicions arose regarding the authenticity of these documents. Further review confirmed that they were fraudulent.
The investigation leading to this complaint was conducted by Customs and Border Protection under Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy's leadership and Homeland Security Investigations directed by Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
It is important to note that while charges have been filed against Kazemimanesh, they remain allegations until proven otherwise in court.
