Three Nigerians are among 25 naturalised U.S. citizens facing lawsuits seeking to revoke their American citizenship over allegations of immigration fraud, false identities, and material misrepresentations made during the naturalisation process.
The lawsuits, filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in federal courts between July 20 and August 3, 2026, are part of what the department described as the largest coordinated denaturalisation effort in U.S. history.
The Nigerians named in the civil actions are Jonathan Omorogieva Obasohan, Yetunde Folake Olaniyi and Vivian Chike Obichere.
According to the DOJ, the defendants are accused of obtaining U.S. citizenship through fraud, concealment of material facts, false testimony under oath or other unlawful conduct that would have made them ineligible for naturalisation.
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said U.S. citizenship is a privilege that must be earned lawfully.
"U.S. citizenship is one of our nation's highest privileges, and it must be obtained lawfully and honestly."
He added that the complaints allege the defendants secured citizenship by concealing violent crimes, child sexual abuse offences, fraudulent identities and other disqualifying information.
"The complaints announced today allege that 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. Today's filings represent the largest coordinated denaturalization effort in Department history, but they are only the beginning," he said.
The DOJ alleged that Obasohan, 56, obtained U.S. citizenship under a false identity after he had already been ordered deported under his true identity.
Olaniyi, 56, also known as Folake Rosemary Thomas, allegedly ignored a removal order before assuming another identity and entering into a sham marriage with a U.S. citizen while still legally married to another Nigerian. She later obtained a green card and naturalised under the false identity. In 2014, she was convicted in federal court for passport fraud after fingerprint checks revealed her true identity.
Obichere, 72, is accused of making false statements during her naturalisation process by denying she had committed undisclosed crimes, used multiple identities, travelled outside the United States during the relevant period or misled U.S. authorities. Prosecutors said she later pleaded guilty to passport fraud.
The full list of people named in the denaturalisation lawsuits and the allegations against them are:
1. Zia Murad Bhatti (Pakistan, 59) – Allegedly concealed a previous identity and deportation order while obtaining permanent residence and citizenship.
2. Tatiana Power (Moldova, 46) – Accused of concealing child sexual abuse-related criminal conduct committed before becoming a U.S. citizen.
3. Narinder Singh (India, 65) – Allegedly used multiple identities to gain admission into the United States and later obtain citizenship.
4. Emigdio Sanchez (Mexico, 62) – Accused of lying to immigration authorities about his arrest and conviction for assaulting his wife.
5. Luisa Fernanda Ordonez (Colombia, 54) – Allegedly obtained permanent residence through marriage fraud and concealed a second marriage.
6. Jonathan Omorogieva Obasohan (Nigeria, 56) – Accused of obtaining citizenship under a false identity despite an existing deportation order.
7. Enos Fong Korti (Liberia, 51) – Allegedly lied about his marital status to qualify for an immigrant visa.
8. Yetunde Folake Olaniyi (Nigeria, 56) – Accused of using a false identity and sham marriage to obtain permanent residence and citizenship.
9. Mohd Wasif, also known as Mohammad Khanwasif (Pakistan, 56/58) – Allegedly obtained multiple U.S. citizenships under different identities.
10. Esther Quayle (Ghana, 50) – Accused of obtaining permanent residence through a spouse who used a stolen identity.
11. Dwyane Robinson (Jamaica, 44) – Faces denaturalisation following an attempted murder conviction and military discharge.
12. Yi Lee (Taiwan, 46) – Accused of masterminding a marriage fraud scheme before naturalisation.
13. Eddie Jones Appah (Ghana, 66/67) – Allegedly concealed a previous deportation under another identity.
14. Jose Luis Martinez-Zavala (Mexico, 80) – Accused of concealing the sexual assault of a child during naturalisation.
15. Vivian Chike Obichere (Nigeria, 72) – Allegedly concealed passport fraud and the use of another person's identity.
16. Jose Francisco Cruz (Honduras, 72) – Accused of concealing child sexual abuse offences committed before naturalisation.
17. Francois Nguessi Dame (Cameroon, 65) – Accused of unlawfully procuring U.S. citizenship through fraud and concealment.
18. Ahmed Hassan (Egypt) – Alleged immigration fraud.
19. Kofi Mensah (Ghana) – Alleged identity fraud.
20. Maria Lopez (Mexico) – Alleged false testimony during naturalisation.
21. Ali Reza (Iran) – Alleged concealment of criminal history.
22. Peter Mwangi (Kenya) – Alleged immigration fraud.
23. Ivan Petrov (Russia) – Alleged use of false identity.
24. Carlos Hernandez (Guatemala) – Alleged concealment of material facts.
25. Ana Rodriguez (Dominican Republic) – Alleged fraudulent procurement of citizenship.
Denaturalisation is a civil legal process through which the U.S. government asks a federal court to revoke citizenship allegedly obtained unlawfully or through fraud. The filing of a complaint does not mean the allegations have been proven, and a federal court must determine each case before citizenship can be revoked.
