Maryland Man Indicted for Passport Fraud and Identity Theft

A federal grand jury has indicted a Gwynn Oak, Maryland man on multiple charges, including passport fraud and aggravated identity theft. Beautiful Life Allah, also known as Tezelle Miller and Tezell Miller, 65, faces allegations of using another person’s social security number to submit a passport application and providing false statements on applications between August 2022 and February 2023. He is also accused of submitting a fraudulent custody order to obtain a passport for his minor child.

The indictment, announced by U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland, was made in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) – Washington Field Office and the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) – Philadelphia Field Division. The charges include passport fraud, aggravated identity theft, making false statements, and false representation of a social security number.

If convicted, Allah could face a maximum of 10 years in prison for passport fraud, a mandatory minimum of two years for aggravated identity theft, and up to five years each for making false statements and misrepresenting a social security number. However, actual sentences are typically less than the maximum allowed, as federal district court judges consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

An indictment is not a determination of guilt. Allah is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the investigative work of DSS and SSA-OIG and acknowledged the efforts of Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon, who is prosecuting the case.

For further information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, including resources for reporting fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland.

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