see also: in February 2009:   CBP Officers in Niagara Falls Arrest Fugitive Wanted on Drug Charges   CBP Discovers Illegal Aliens Hidden in Vehicle's Water Tank, Speaker Box   Border Patrol Nets 68 Pounds of Cocaine in Latest Seizure   CBP Officers Seize More than $665,000 in Cocaine at Brownsville Port of Entry   CBP Commissioner W. Ralph Basham Retires   El Paso Area CBP Officers Apprehend Louisiana Suspect Wanted for Attempted Murder and 39 Other Fugitives   Trusted Traveler Participant in New York Arrested with Child Pornography ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Buffalo, N.Y. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced the apprehension of a United States citizen wanted in California on a multi-million dollar mortgage and bank fraud scam.

Today, CBP officers encountered Christopher Warren, a 26-year-old United States citizen from Sacramento, Calif., as he applied for admission into the United States as a passenger in a taxi cab at the Peace Bridge border crossing in Buffalo, N.Y. Warren presented a genuine U.S. passport in the name of Andrew Seagrave as proof of citizenship and identity. A primary name query by CBP revealed that the passport bearing the name Seagrave may have been obtained fraudulently and may be used by Christopher Warren, who has an active felony warrant in California. Warren was then escorted to CBP secondary for verification of his immigration status and verification of the active warrant.

Additional name and electronic fingerprint queries of Warren by CBP officers verified that he was in fact the subject of an active nation-wide no bond warrant issued February 4, by the United States District Court, Eastern District of California. The warrant charges Warren with bank fraud, mail fraud and financial crimes and being involved in a $100 million mortgage fraud scam. A search of Warren revealed $70,700 concealed in his shoes. CBP officers also found four one ounce pieces of pure platinum worth approximately $1000.00 each as well as approximately $1 million in Swiss Bank Certificates showing ownership of pure gold.

Warren admitted to Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and CBP officers that he fraudulently obtained the presented U.S. passport. He further claimed that he chartered a flight from Las Vegas through Mexico and Ireland with a final destination of Lebanon. He was returning to the United States from Lebanon via Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Canada, where he paid a cab driver $300 to take him to the international border in Buffalo.

Warren was arrested by CBP and turned over to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for extradition to California. The currency and personal effects were seized and turned over to the FBI.

“This fugitive apprehension was the direct result of CBP’s efforts to secure our nations borders by increasing the number of name queries during primary inspections at land border crossings,” said James T. Engleman, CBP director of field operations for the Buffalo Field Office. “It further illustrates CBP’s ability to intercept criminals who obtain and use counterfeit documents or legitimate documents obtained by fraud.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.