Former Bosnia wartime prison guard who settled in US faces federal charges

A former guard at a infamous prison camp in Bosnia-Herzegovina who used a fabricated story to acquire refugee standing within the U.S. and settled within the Boston suburbs has been arrested on fraud and different prices, federal prosecutors mentioned Wednesday.

Kemal Mrndzic, 50, was dwelling in Swampscott, about 13 miles from Boston, on the time of his arrest, representatives for the U.S. Division of Justice mentioned. Prosecutors mentioned Mrndzic labored as guard on the Čelebići jail camp throughout the Bosnian Struggle within the Nineties, and was recognized by survivors as being concerned in beatings and abuses that the camp was extensively recognized for.

Mrndzic fled the nation after the warfare by crossing into Croatia and making use of as a refugee to the U.S., prosecutors mentioned. He falsely claimed he was captured and abused by Serb forces and couldn’t return residence, prosecutors mentioned.

Mrndzic was admitted to the U.S. as a refugee in 1999 and have become a naturalized citizen a decade later, prosecutors mentioned. They mentioned he has been charged with falsifying, concealing, and masking up a fabric truth from the U.S. authorities and different crimes.

“Based on court docket paperwork, after the warfare ended, investigators from the (Worldwide Legal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia) interviewed Mrndzic in Sarajevo and allegedly accused him of being concerned within the abuses at Celebici,” the Division of Justice mentioned in an announcement, including that three of Mrndzic’s fellow guards had been convicted by the tribunal.

FORMER BOSNIAN SERB MILITARY COMMANDER SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON FOR CRIMES AGAINST CIVILIANS DURING WAR

A former Bosnia wartime jail camp guard who settled within the U.S. is dealing with federal prices. (Fox Information)

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Mrndzic made an preliminary look in federal court docket in Boston on Wednesday and was launched on a $30,000 money bond.

A cellphone itemizing for Mrndzic in Swampscott was disconnected on Wednesday. Calls to different listings underneath his title within the space weren’t returned.

Mrndzic is represented by Brendan Kelley, a federal defender based mostly in Boston. Kelley didn’t return a cellphone name searching for touch upon Wednesday.

Different prices in opposition to Mrndzic embody utilizing a fraudulently obtained U.S. passport and possessing and utilizing a fraudulently obtained naturalization certificates and fraudulently obtained Social Safety card, prosecutors mentioned. A conviction to be used of a fraudulently obtained passport and a fraudulently obtained naturalization certificates every carry a penalty of as much as 10 years in jail.