Bosnian Man Charged with Lying to U.S. Officials for Citizenship

A Bosnian individual, accused of committing war crimes including the assault of prisoners of war, has been charged with providing false information to U.S. authorities to obtain American citizenship, according to reports.

This week, a federal grand jury in Boise, Idaho, brought charges against 66-year-old Milan Kostic from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He allegedly lied to officials from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the FBI about his role as a senior figure in the former Autonomous Region of Western Bosnia (APZB) regarding war crimes.

The indictment claims that while employed by APZB, Kostic physically assaulted prisoners using methods such as pistol-whipping, striking them with wooden objects, and delivering punches and kicks that caused them to lose consciousness.

It also specifies instances where Kostic coerced prisoners into attacking each other and instructed other employees to join in the beatings. Notably, Kostic did not disclose any of these actions during his application or interview for U.S. naturalization.

“Milan Kostic benefited from decades of living in the United States while concealing serious human rights violations from his past in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” remarked Assistant Attorney General A. Theisen Duba.

Duba further emphasized that individuals who commit atrocities abroad and lie to immigration agencies in pursuit of safety in the U.S. will face investigations and potential prosecution. “Protecting the integrity of our naturalization process is crucial,” he added.

Kostic could face a maximum of 10 years in prison for each fraud charge and up to five years for making false statements related to his naturalization attempt.

“Citizenship is a privilege that must be earned through honesty,” stated April Miller from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “We are committed to ensuring that the naturalization process is not undermined by fraudulent actions.”