The Inside Story of Afghan Visa Fraud and Bribery

A U.S. Navy Reserve commander from Florida, Jeromy Pittmann, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme related to Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for Afghan nationals, the Justice Department (DOJ) announced today.

Conviction Details

Pittmann, 53, of Pensacola, was convicted by a jury in the District of New Hampshire on July 12. He faced multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, making a materially false writing, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

“Pittmann’s participation in this bribery scheme not only jeopardized the integrity of the SIV program, which protects our allies, but also introduced significant security risks to our nation,” stated Greg Gross, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our partners will continue to hold accountable those who exploit government processes for personal gain, ensuring that the safety of the public and our warfighters is preserved.”

The Scheme Uncovered

According to court documents, Pittmann accepted bribes from Afghan nationals in exchange for preparing and verifying fraudulent letters of recommendation for SIV applicants seeking refuge in the United States.

Court records indicate that Pittmann signed over 20 letters falsely claiming he personally knew the visa applicants, had supervised their work as translators for the U.S. military and NATO, and could vouch for their loyalty and lack of security risk to the United States. In reality, Pittmann had no connection to the applicants, and his recommendations were solely motivated by financial gain, as confirmed by court documents.

Pittmann received thousands of dollars in bribes for these false letters. To conceal his illicit actions, he funneled the bribe payments through an intermediary and created fraudulent invoices to misrepresent the payments as compensation for unrelated legitimate work, according to the DOJ.

Conclusion

Pittmann’s sentencing underscores the serious consequences of exploiting government programs for personal benefit and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat corruption. The integrity of the SIV program is crucial for protecting those who supported U.S. military efforts, and such actions undermine the safety of both applicants and the nation.

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