PHILADELPHIA (CHATNEWSTV) — A New Jersey man who once served as a Liberian rebel general during the West African nation’s civil war pleaded guilty Thursday to using and possessing a fraudulently obtained green card.
Laye Sekou Camara, 46, of Mays Landing, New Jersey, admitted to lying about his role in Liberia’s civil war to obtain U.S. residency, prosecutors said. Camara, also known as “K-1” and “Dragon Master,” led a rebel group that fought against then-President Charles Taylor’s government from 1999 to 2003.
“Camara’s lies allowed him to evade accountability for his wartime actions while enjoying the privileges of U.S. residency,” said Brent S. Wible, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Court documents revealed that Camara denied involvement in extrajudicial killings, paramilitary groups, and the recruitment of child soldiers when applying for his immigrant visa and later for his green card.
Between 2017 and 2020, Camara used the fraudulently obtained green card to apply for a Pennsylvania ID, a New Jersey home health care aide license, and employment at a New Jersey-based agency. He was arrested in 2022 at New York’s JFK International Airport while attempting to board an international flight.
“This case underscores our commitment to exposing those who seek to evade justice for their actions abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Camara pleaded guilty to three counts of using and one count of possessing the fraudulent green card. He faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for May 19, 2025.
Edward V. Owens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia, emphasized the importance of vigilance in protecting the U.S. immigration system. “We will continue to hold individuals accountable when they abuse our immigration processes to hide their past crimes,” Owens said.
The investigation involved HSI, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service in Monrovia, Liberia.
Camara’s case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
