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Passport Scheme Lands Columbus Man Behind Bars

A Columbus man has been sentenced to prison after admitting to running a fake passport scheme. 

Prosecutors say Kristian Afana, also known as Leonard Ovono, was sentenced to a year in prison on Wednesday.

The local U.S. Attorney’s Office says Afana paid people to apply for passports while using provided photographs of other people, and even drove some people to Columbus post offices to apply for passports.

Prosecutors say Afana was involved in at least nine fraudulent applications.

Afana is a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Gabon.

He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make false statements on passport applications, and aiding and abetting in the making of a false statement on a United States passport application.