U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo has announced the arrest of Dilbar Gul Dilbar, also known as Dilbar Gul Taj Ali Khan, an Afghan citizen, on charges of visa fraud. The charges could lead to a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire is handling the case. According to McGuire, Dilbar is alleged to have submitted applications in 2016 and 2021 to the U.S. Department of State for a Special Immigrant Visa. These visas are specifically available for Afghan nationals who have supported the U.S. military. The complaint states that Dilbar's applications contained fraudulent documents, including a counterfeit U.S. Embassy Kabul Chief of Mission approval, a fraudulent employment letter, and a fraudulent Letter of Recommendation. These fraudulent submissions led to the approval of his application on March 20, 2024. Dilbar was granted admission into the United States on April 4, 2024, and now resides in New York's Western District. On the day of his U.S. admission, Dilbar applied for a Legal Permanent Resident card or green card, which he received on July 22, 2024.
The case details specify that in July 2016, Dilbar applied for U.S. Embassy Kabul Chief of Mission approval but was denied. He later submitted a counterfeit approval letter in November 2017 to continue his Special Immigrant Visa application. Dilbar reapplied in 2021, including a letter from a U.S. company. Investigations revealed this company was involved in a large scheme providing fraudulent documents for a fee, including employment verification letters. All letters from this organization were deemed fraudulent. Additionally, a second Letter of Recommendation was tied to an "advance-fee" scam selling fraudulent immigration documents.
Dilbar appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colleen D. Holland and is currently held until a detention hearing on May 9, 2025. This complaint is a result of an FBI investigation led by Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
It is important to note that charges are accusations, and Dilbar is presumed innocent until proven guilty.