Defendant allegedly concealed former identity and prior fraud convictions from immigration authorities
BOSTON — Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England special agents arrested a man from the United Kingdom for allegedly making false statements in an immigration matter.
Duncan Hollands aka Duncan Herd, 58, a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in Cambridge, was charged with one count of falsely swearing in an immigration matter. HSI special agents arrested Hollands Aug. 28 and he was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston.
According to the charging documents, in February 2022, Hollands applied for lawful permanent residence status (more commonly known as a green card) and attended an interview for that application. The application form requires applicants to answer various background questions, such as prior names or aliases and any criminal history, so that immigration authorities can determine whether the applicant is eligible for the sought status. It is alleged that, on his application and during his interview, Hollands falsely reported that he had never used another name and denied having any history with the criminal justice system. However, it is alleged that Hollands did in fact have a prior name, Duncan Herd, under which he was previously convicted and sentenced to over three years in prison for obtaining property by deception along with other charges. It is further alleged that Hollands also had other interactions with the criminal justice systems in the United Kingdom and France.
The charge provides for a sentence of up to 10 years In prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by HSI New England’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service in Boston. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cambridge and Woburn, Massachusetts, Police Departments and U.K. law enforcement authorities.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This investigation was led by HSI’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Forces (DBFTF). The DBFTF targets and dismantles transnational criminal organizations and individuals that threaten U.S. national security and public safety. HSI identifies sources of identity and benefit fraud, including document manufacturers, thieves, brokers, and even sponsors, attorneys and other U.S.-based people who enable criminals to apply for benefits. HSI works with its partners to address gaps and vulnerabilities in our systems to prevent criminals from committing these crimes.