NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 17, 2002 For more information contact: Jeff Dorschner 303-454-0243 OVER 100 WORKERS AT DIA INDICTED FOR FALSIFYING SECURITY APPLICATIONS - ALL HAD ACCESS TO RESTRICTED AREAS DENVER - John Suthers, United States Attorney for the District of Colorado, Sergio Valenzuela, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General, Michael Comfort, Acting District Director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Deiter H. Harper, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the United States Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General, and William Pickle, Director of Federal Security at Denver International Airport, today announce that 110 people have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver for fraudulently obtaining security badges that gave them access to restricted areas, including the tarmac, airplanes, and other secured sensitive locations at Denver International Airport. The 110 separate indictments were returned by a federal grand jury on September 10th. Those indicted include a United Airlines pilot, construction workers, security personnel, ramp agents, cleaning crews, transportation workers, and an extensive number of food service workers. All of the employees indicted had access to restricted areas and some had the ability to escort up to 6 people into restricted areas. The multi-month investigation, termed "Operation Safe Sky" combined two national initiatives - the Social Security Administration's "Operation Safe Travel" and the Immigration and Naturalization Service's "Operation Tarmac." The two initiatives were designed in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks to strengthen security at our nation's airports to protect the traveling public. Similar projects have been undertaken at other major airports across the country to ensure that those employed at the airports have not acquired their employment or their security status by fraudulent means. Denver International Airport, the nation's 5th busiest, has approximately 24,500 credentialed employees. After an employee is hired by a company that does business at DIA, the employer sends the employee with an "Airport Security Application" for a badge to the City & County of Denver's Airport Security Office. The applicants are required to provide complete and truthful information on the application, including their Social Security number. An employee will not receive an airport security badge without providing a Social Security number on the application. As a part of the investigation, federal agents served a subpoena requesting a list of all security badge holders at DIA. In compliance with the subpoena, DIA Security provided a list containing the names and Social Security numbers of all airport security badge holders. The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General then conducted a computer check comparing the data of the DIA security badge holders with the official records of the Social Security Administration to verify that the Social Security numbers of all 24,500 were valid. A list was generated of over 1,000 badge holders whose information on the badge application did not match the information contained in the Social Security Administration's official records. Federal agents then began manually comparing the list with the original applications kept on file by the DIA security staff. Investigating agents first checked to make sure the applicant was still employed at the airport. Agents also carefully scrutinized the application files looking for innocent errors, such as a transposition of information by the applicant, a clerical or input error, or that an applicant's surname changed due to marriage. Those files that were determined to contain fraudulent information were referred to the United States Attorney's Office for prosecution. Only those cases where the employee had access to secure areas of the airport were presented to the grand jury. Of the 110 defendants, 103 are being prosecuted for Misuse of a Social Security number, 2 are being prosecuted for Making False Statements and Perjury, 2 are being prosecuted for Making False Statements, Perjury and Misuse of a Social Security number, 2 are being prosecuted for Making a False Claim of United States Citizenship, Making a False Statement and Perjury, and 1 is being prosecuted for Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien and Misuse of a Social Security number. All charges are felony violations of federal law. "The goal of this project is to remove individuals with unknown or questionable identities from being able to access the restricted areas of DIA and to deter others in the future from attempting to obtain these types of jobs by fraudulent means," said United States Attorney John Suthers. "These indictments were sought following a thoughtful, careful and complete review of those who obtained restricted access at Denver International Airport using false information. To ensure air travel safety, we are subjecting the traveling public to searches and other inconveniences. It is only logical that we also must ensure that we know the identities and backgrounds of all those who work at our airports and have access to restricted areas. If we are serious about airport security, we cannot tolerate people fraudulently obtaining security credentials," Mr. Suthers said. The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General has participated in 28 airport security operations across the country with Joint Terrorism Task Forces and other Federal agencies since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. "We will continue to intervene to ensure that no airport employee who has misrepresented his or her SSN and identity has access to secure areas of the Nation's airports." SSA Inspector General, James G. Huse, Jr. commented. OIG's focus in airport security operations has been SSN misuse, false statements and INS violations. Immigration and Naturalization Service Acting Denver District Director, Michael M. Comfort, said: "The INS began laying the groundwork for this initiative shortly after the terrorist attacks against our nation. The goal here was and is to work with federal, state and local agencies in shoring up our nation's homeland security in a post 9-11 environment. A key element to the national security infrastructure is the safety of the traveling public. The American public deserves nothing less than the highest priority of protection." Deiter H. Harper, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the United States Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General, stated: "Our audit and investigative activities over the years have shown that people who lie about their background on their application for airport security clearances pose a potential threat to public safety. We have investigated numerous cases in the past several years of people who illegally obtained airport security badges in order to participate in illegal activities such as drug smuggling or theft of checked luggage or air cargo. In addition, our audit work has shown that effective security requires that only trusted individuals are authorized access to secure areas." William Pickle, Transportation Security Administration's Federal Security Director for Denver International Airport, said: "Security of the Nation's air transportation system is clearly an urgent priority for America. This mission is being achieved in a variety of ways including Federal Air Marshals on board aircraft, reinforced cockpit doors in all commercial planes, and specially selected, trained and supervised federal screeners in our airport terminals. Today, an additional layer of security is reflected by the coordinated actions of the United States Department of Justice to ensure that reasonable standards of integrity are enforced among those various workers with access to aircraft. The Transportation Security Administration applauds this important effort." Misuse of a Social Security number, Making A False Statement and Perjury each carry a federal prison sentence of up to 5 years and/or a fine of up to $250,000. Making a False Claim of U.S. Citizenship carries a federal prison sentence of up to 3 years and/or a fine of up to $250,000. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien carries a federal prison sentence of up to 2 years and/or a fine of up to $250,000. The investigation was conducted by Special Agents from the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General, and the Transportation Security Administration. Representatives from the U.S. Customs Service, Denver Police Department and the FBI assisted in making the arrests. The 110 cases were indicted by Executive Assistant United States Attorney David Gaouette, and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys from the Major Crimes Section of the United States Attorney's Office in Colorado. As a cautionary note, the names listed on the indictments and arrest warrants are the names provided on the Airport Security Applications, and in some instances may not be the real name of the defendant. We do not know the true identity of all of these individuals. These charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. #### United States Attorney's Office Press Releases are also on the Internet Visit Jeff Dorschner Press Officer United States Attorney's Office District of Colorado 303-454-0243 jeffrey.dorschner@usdoj.gov