Former doctor indicted for naturalization fraud after prior conviction

A federal grand jury has indicted a former medical doctor, Yousif Abdulraouf Alhallaq, on charges of naturalization fraud. The indictment accuses Alhallaq of providing false information on his U.S. citizenship application and during an in-person interview.

Alhallaq, 46, originally from Kuwait and a Jordanian citizen when he entered the United States on an H1B visa in 2006, applied for permanent residency in 2011 and began working as a medical doctor in Northeast Ohio around 2012. In December 2014, he allegedly poisoned a pregnant victim to terminate the pregnancy without her knowledge. He was later charged with attempted murder and felonious assault by the Stark County Court of Common Pleas in March 2021, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to four years in prison.

Before these events unfolded, Alhallaq had filed Form N-400 for U.S. naturalization in late 2017. He answered "no" to questions about involvement in crimes such as attempted murder or causing harm. During a March 2018 interview with an immigration officer, he confirmed these answers under oath. By May 4, 2018, Alhallaq became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

The grand jury alleges that despite committing acts of attempted murder and assault in 2014, Alhallaq falsely affirmed his innocence on his naturalization application and during the subsequent interview process.

If convicted of naturalization fraud, Alhallaq could face up to ten years in prison. His sentence will depend on various factors specific to his case but will not exceed the statutory maximum.

The investigation leading to the indictment involved U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Matthew W. Shepherd is prosecuting the case for the Northern District of Ohio.

An indictment is only an allegation; Alhallaq remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.