NEW JERSEY — A 38-year-old Chicago man pleaded guilty Thursday to creating counterfeit U.S. passport cards and mailing them to New Jersey in exchange for cryptocurrency, according to U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer.
Juma Wajid, also known as “Jay Khan” and “Jamal Anthony,” formerly of Gwinnett County, Georgia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to one count of furnishing a false, forged and counterfeit passport.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wajid used an online account to arrange mailings containing six or more counterfeit U.S. passport cards and other identification documents he created.
In August 2024, law enforcement officers purchased five counterfeit U.S. passport cards and additional documents from Wajid as part of an investigation.
Federal authorities said Wajid believed the fraudulent documents he created would be used to commit bank fraud. He mailed the documents to an address in New Jersey in exchange for payment in cryptocurrency.
The charge of furnishing a false passport to another person carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the amount of money involved in the offense, whichever is greater.
A sentencing date was not provided.
