A Connecticut federal court sentenced Nada Radovan Tomanić, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina, to 30 months in prison on April 9 for naturalization fraud related to her involvement in torture and war crimes during the Bosnian conflict.
Tomanić's sentencing highlights ongoing efforts by U.S. authorities to hold human rights violators accountable, even decades after their offenses. Officials said she concealed her participation in severe abuse of civilian prisoners when applying for citizenship.
According to court documents, Tomanić served with the Zulfikar Special Unit of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s. She was involved with other soldiers in torturing and abusing Bosnian Serb civilians—acts considered war crimes under international law. When she applied for U.S. naturalization in Hartford in 2012, Tomanić denied having served at a detention facility or committing any crime for which she had not been arrested.
Her deception continued during an interview with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer where she again lied about her service history while under oath. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva said, “The defendant tortured and abused prisoners in Bosnia and then lied to U.S. immigration authorities to live in the U.S. and become a citizen.” Duva added that “Human rights violators are not welcome in the United States,” thanking victims as well as law enforcement partners who helped bring Tomanić to justice.
U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan stated, “I sincerely appreciate the investigative work of our law enforcement partners both here in the U.S. and in Bosnia who have disregarded the passage of decades to ensure that justice is served.” FBI Special Agent P.J. O’Brien said that uncovering Tomanić’s violent past was crucial: “We hope that yesterday’s sentencing gives some measure of justice to her victims.”
Tomanić pleaded guilty on Nov. 10, 2025, admitting one count of procuring citizenship contrary to law.
The case was investigated by multiple agencies including the FBI; Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center; Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection; authorities from Bosnia and Herzegovina; Serbian officials; as well as support from United Nations mechanisms.
