The U.S. government has launched its largest-ever denaturalisation effort, filing legal actions against 25 individuals, including three Nigerians—Jonathan Omorogieva Obasohan, Yetunde Folake Olaniyi, and Vivian Chike Obichere—for obtaining citizenship through fraud, misrepresentation, and concealment of material facts. The cases were announced on July 20, 2026, by the U.S. Department of Justice, marking a significant step in enforcing the integrity of the naturalisation process.
Obasohan, 56, is accused of securing U.S. citizenship under a false identity after being previously ordered for deportation under his real name, Tinosa Joe Aigbedion. He failed to disclose this during his naturalisation proceedings, which the DOJ says renders his citizenship invalid. Similarly, Olaniyi, 56, also known as Folake Rosemary Thomas, evaded removal by assuming a fake identity and entering into a sham marriage with a U.S. citizen, despite being already married to another Nigerian man. Her deception led to her receiving a green card and later citizenship, which she lost after being convicted of passport fraud in 2014.
Vivian Chike Obichere, 72, naturalised in 2013 while falsely claiming she had never committed crimes, used only one alias, or provided misleading information to U.S. officials. She later pleaded guilty to using a false passport belonging to a U.S. citizen, admitting all her prior statements were false. The DOJ is seeking to revoke her citizenship based on statutory ineligibility and willful misrepresentation.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized that U.S. citizenship must be earned lawfully and honestly. “These individuals secured naturalization through fraud, concealment, or other unlawful conduct—including by concealing violent crimes, sexual offenses against children, fraudulent identities, and other disqualifying facts,” he said. He added that today’s filings are just the beginning of broader enforcement efforts.
The 25-person list includes nationals from countries such as Pakistan, India, Mexico, Colombia, Liberia, Ghana, Jamaica, Taiwan, Honduras, Cameroon, Jordan, Cuba, El Salvador, Haiti, Sweden, and Peru. Among them are individuals who committed serious crimes like child sexual abuse, marriage fraud, passport forgery, and financial fraud. Others lied about their marital status, criminal history, or military service to obtain citizenship.
For example, Tatiana Power from Moldova was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering after running a business selling child abuse content. Emigdio Sanchez from Mexico assaulted his wife and lied about it during naturalisation. Yi Lee from Taiwan masterminded a marriage fraud ring before becoming a citizen. And Syed Tanweer Ahmad from Sweden falsely claimed to be a doctor and committed grand theft, leading to 64 criminal convictions.
Each case involves specific allegations of fraud, false testimony, or concealment of crimes that disqualify applicants from citizenship under U.S. law. Courts across multiple districts, including Massachusetts, Maryland, California, Texas, Florida, and Arkansas, have been assigned these civil denaturalisation complaints.
This sweeping action underscores the U.S. government’s commitment to upholding the credibility of its immigration system. As more cases are expected, the move sends a clear message: citizenship obtained through deceit will not stand.
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