Iranian National Sentenced for Asylum Fraud

     PHOENIX – Yesterday, Ali Vahdani Pour, 28, an Iranian national, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Rayes to 137 days in prison. Pour had previously pleaded guilty to false swearing in an immigration matter. 

     In his plea agreement, Pour admitted having lied on his asylum application.  Specifically, Pour admitted he falsely denied having served in the Iranian military and falsely denied having received refugee status in another country.  Pour further admitted to having served in the Iranian military and to having received refugee status in Italy prior to seeking asylum in the United States.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Joseph E. Koehler, Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Ryan Goldstein, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-17-1598-PHX-DLR 

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-077_Pour

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