Web of deceit unspun: INZ welcomes identity fraud convictions

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) welcomes the sentencing of Wijdan Taha Kareem Almajidi and Hussein Hasan Dawood. Their convictions bring to an end a years-long, carefully orchestrated campaign of deception designed to exploit New Zealand’s immigration and citizenship systems.

At sentencing, Almajidi received 9 and a half months’ home detention, and Dawood was sentenced to 10 and a half months’ home detention.

The case arose from a complex and lengthy investigation into a sustained pattern of offending involving:

• false identities
• fraudulent travel documents, and
• repeated misrepresentation to New Zealand authorities.

Charges were laid under the Immigration Act 2009, the Crimes Act 1961, and the Citizenship Act 1977. This reflects the seriousness and breadth of the conduct.

Investigators uncovered that Almajidi entered New Zealand in 2016 using the identity of Dawood’s sister, a New Zealand citizen who had left the country several years earlier and never returned. From that point on, the false identity became the foundation for an elaborate scheme that unfolded over many years. The pair used it to:

• travel internationally
• register the birth of a child under false details, and
• submit successive fraudulent applications for a New Zealand passport, residence, and citizenship.

Steve Watson, General Manager Immigration Compliance and Investigations, said the offending was deliberate, calculated, and sustained.

“This wasn’t a mistake or a one off lapse in judgement. It was a scheme built carefully and deliberately over time, with each step designed to reinforce the deception and keep it hidden,” said Mr Watson.

As the investigation progressed, further layers of deceit were exposed. The pair falsely claimed their daughter was born in Iraq, when she was in fact born in New Zealand. This provided conflicting information across multiple official documents in an effort to conceal Almajidi’s unlawful presence in the country at the time of her birth.

Mr Watson said cases of this nature strike at the core of public confidence in the immigration system.

“When people go to such lengths to deceive the system, they undermine the fairness that New Zealanders expect and rely on. This case shows how sustained dishonesty can ripple across multiple systems and years.”

He said the outcome reflected the persistence and professionalism of investigators working across borders and over time.

“This was a carefully constructed web of deceit, designed to withstand scrutiny and remain hidden for years. Our investigators patiently and methodically unravelled it, strand by strand, demonstrating the strength of our investigative capability and our commitment to protecting the integrity of New Zealand’s immigration system.”

Mr Watson also acknowledged the role of inter-agency collaboration, particularly with the Department of Internal Affairs, in bringing the case to a conclusion.

“By working closely together and sharing information and expertise, we were able to piece together the full picture and ensure those responsible were held to account.”

He said the convictions carried a clear warning.

“Schemes like this may be carefully hidden, but they do not stay hidden forever. When people attempt to defraud New Zealand’s immigration system, we will uncover it and act decisively to protect the integrity and fairness of our processes.”

For further information about this media release:

Email media@mbie.govt.nz