Man created counterfeit passports, mailed them to N.J. customers, feds say

A Chicago man created counterfeit passports and mailed to several customers in New Jersey, federal prosecutors alleged Tuesday.
In April, police found a package containing a fake passport that was sent through the mail. That led them to the discovery that Juma Wajid, 36, used an online account to send hundreds of mailings between June 2022 and April 2024, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of New Jersey.
Wajid allegedly used an encrypted messaging application to advertise the sale of fake ID documents, the office said.
In August, detectives purchased five false U.S. passport cards, as well as additional documents, from Wajid, who created the documents and mailed them to an address in New Jersey in exchange for payment in cryptocurrency, investigators said.
Wajid was then charged with one count of furnishing a false, forged, and counterfeited U.S. passport to another for use, authorities said. He appeared in federal court Tuesday and was released on $15,000 unsecured bond.
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Chris Sheldon may be reached at [email protected].