Philadelphia Man Convicted of Obtaining United States Citizenship by Fraud

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Sumo Dukulah, 49, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was convicted today at trial of procurement of citizenship by a false statement and unlawfully arising from his failure to honestly answer questions during the naturalization process about his prior criminal activity, including his rape of a child under the age of thirteen.

The defendant was indicted by a grand jury on June 24, 2021 and charged with procuring citizenship through a false statement and with procuring citizenship unlawfully.  The defendant, from September 27, 2011 to January 9, 2012, in submitting his application for citizenship and in his sworn affirmations at his interview at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Philadelphia, falsely declared that he had never committed a crime, when in fact, he had been raping a minor female.

“The guilty verdict for Sumo Dukulah sends a message that you will be held accountable for lying about your criminal background on federal immigration forms,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Those who would lie in order to secure the precious privilege of U.S. Citizenship put the integrity of our immigration system at risk.”

“Today’s conviction of Mr. Dukulah illustrates HSI’s commitment to ensuring that our immigration system is void of fraud and deception, particularly from those perpetrating such heinous criminal conduct,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia William S. Walker.  “HSI will continue to tirelessly work with our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute and to revoke any fraudulently obtained citizenship from anyone that poses a threat to the most vulnerable amongst our communities.”    

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Josh A. Davison and Patrick Brown.