California Man Sentenced To Six Months In Prison For Making False Statements In Passport Application

SAN FRANCISCO – Mustapha Traore, aka Olivier Adella, was sentenced to six months in prison and six additional months of home confinement for knowingly making false statements in an application for a passport with the intent to induce and secure the issuance of a passport, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson; U.S. State Department, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), San Francisco Field Office Special Agent in Charge Matthew Perlman; and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Vince Chhabria, U.S. District Judge.

“The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is committed to ensuring that those that perpetrate U.S. passport fraud face consequences for their nefarious actions,” said Matthew Perlman, Special Agent in Charge of the DSS San Francisco Field Office.  “The successful prosecution of this complex international, multi-jurisdictional case is a direct result of DSS’ global reach and strong partnership with both U.S. and foreign law enforcement agencies.”

“Homeland Security Investigations agents and professional staff will continue to closely collaborate with the Diplomatic Security Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in order to proactively disrupt fraud schemes that attempt to exploit our lawful immigration system,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge King.

Traore, formerly of Burlingame, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charge on March 9, 2020. Today’s sentence follows Traore’s arrest by DSS special agents on a criminal complaint on January 10, 2020.

According to the complaint, Traore entered the United States in February 2002 using a fake French passport with the name Olivier Adella. The criminal complaint further alleged that after Traore used the fake passport to enter the United States, he used the passport to obtain immigration status and eventually a naturalization certificate under the assumed name Olivier Adella. After becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen, Traore made false statements about his true name and birthplace in a December 2011 application for a U.S. passport; and based on those lies he was issued a U.S. passport under the assumed name.

According to information presented to the court at sentencing, on the night of April 28-29, 2016, Traore took part in the murder of San Mateo resident Keith Green. The court was informed that Traore pled guilty to accessory in the murder; and that Traore admitted that he helped load Mr. Green’s body into the trunk of his Chrysler 300, drove the body from San Mateo County across the Golden Gate Bridge, and then dumped the body down an embankment off of Highway 101 in Sonoma County. Around May 10, 2016—shortly after Green was killed but before Traore was arrested in connection with the murder—Traore submitted an expedited passport renewal application and again provided false information.

On January 23, 2020, a federal grand jury indicted Traore, charging him with knowingly making false statements in an application for a passport with the intent to induce and secure the issuance of a passport, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1542. Traore pleaded guilty to the charge.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Chhabria sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release, including the six months of home confinement.

Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Pastor is prosecuting the case with assistance from Marina Ponomarchuk. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DSS and HSI.