VZCZCXRO8665
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #1945 2861458
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131458Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3847
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0006
RHMFIUU/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC
RUCNFB/FBI WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS CAIRO 001945 
 
DEPT FOR CA/FPP, CA/EX, CA/OCS, DS/CR/OCI 
ALSO FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, PRM, NEA/RA, NEA/ELA, NEA/PPD 
AND FOR DS/IP/NEA 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
POSTS FOR FRAUD PREVENTION UNITS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFRD CVIS CMGT ASEC SMIG EG
SUBJECT: Cooperation and Coordination Busts Fraud Ring 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Cairo Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU), the 
Egyptian State Security Investigative Services (SSIS) and the Greek 
Embassy in Cairo worked together to identify a major fraud ring 
involved in obtaining Schengen visas for mala fide travelers. The 
ring used fake US visas and bogus supporting documentation to boost 
the credibility of individuals intending to live and work in one of 
the European Union (EU) countries. SSIS has made arrests and seized 
materials which indicate a large number of Schengen visas may have 
been issued to unqualified applicants who used this fraud ring. End 
Summary. 
 
Greek Suspicions 
---------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) During a courtesy call by Consul General Roberto Powers 
with the Greek Consul General, the latter asked for the verification 
of a US visa.  The US visa was in an Egyptian passport belonging to 
an individual applying for a Schengen visa at the Greek Embassy in 
Cairo. CG Powers identified the visa as having been altered due to 
faint scratches and markings over some of the characters. An 
additional Consular Consolidated Database (CCD) check by the Fraud 
Prevention Manager (FPM) showed no visa foil number worldwide 
matching the one on the US visa. In fact, all the information on the 
visa was fraudulent. 
 
American Coordination 
--------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) With information provided by the Greek Embassy, the FPU 
contacted the Egyptian authorities for assistance. The Egyptian 
Civil Affairs Agency, (CAA), the central depository for all civil 
affairs records, confirmed an address in Lower Egypt for the above 
individual. In addition, Egyptian immigration authorities confirmed 
passport issuance and movements for the individual. The A/RSO-I 
alerted SSIS to the attempted fraud of this individual and the 
possibility that others might be utilizing fake US visas and bogus 
Egyptian documentation to obtain Schengen visas. 
 
Egyptian Action 
--------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The individual admitted to SSIS that he had agreed to pay 
70,000 Egyptian pounds (LE), about USD 12,000, to a visa facilitator 
in exchange for a genuine Schengen visa. SSIS subsequently arrested 
the visa facilitator at his residence and seized 20 individualized 
Egyptian passports, 50,000 LE in cash, about USD 10,000 and a large 
volume of fake Egyptian government stamps.  The individual admitted 
to preparing bogus supporting documentation for visa applications to 
the Greek and French embassies in particular. However, he stated 
that the fake US visas were prepared by another individual. 
 
Greek-American-Egyptian Cooperation 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) SSIS solicited FPU assistance in locating any US visa 
applications associated with this visa forger. FPU found a record in 
CCD for a revoked US visa that indicated this individual and three 
others had falsely claimed in 2007 to be working for a Saudi prince 
traveling to the United States. The A/RSO-I worked with SSIS to 
identify a current local address for this individual based on his 
previous visa application and SSIS is continuing to investigate.  In 
addition, SSIS provided a list of 20 names to FPU's two LES Senior 
Fraud Investigators that was found at the above address including 
photocopies of Schengen visas issued by the Greek Embassy.  The FPM 
worked with the Greek Consul to confirm that these visas had been 
issued by the Greek Embassy, but probably based on bogus supporting 
documentation.  In addition, the FPM shared the list of 20 names 
with contacts at other EU embassies and provided a summary of the 
fraud ring. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6. The close cooperation and coordination among the Greek Embassy, 
the Egyptian authorities and the FPU helped to quickly identify and 
stop a fraud ring that had been successfully obtaining Schengen 
visas for mala fide travelers.  SSIS is continuing to investigate 
and is confident more arrests will soon follow. Post will report 
results as they develop. 
 
SCOBEY