NYT: Obama-era probe found evidence suggesting Rep. Ilhan Omar’s past marriage was a sham, officials say

Federal investigators reportedly uncovered evidence suggesting that US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar entered into a fraudulent marriage with a man suspected of being her brother to help him obtain permanent residency in the United States.

According to The New York Times, current and former law enforcement officials said the FBI and Department of Homeland Security investigated Omar’s 2009 marriage to British citizen Ahmed Nur Said Elmi during the Obama administration in 2016.

Investigators reportedly discovered evidence suggesting the marriage was fraudulent, but prosecutors declined to pursue charges because the alleged offence fell outside the five-year statute of limitations.

Officials said Elmi obtained a provisional two-year green card through the marriage but abandoned his application for permanent residency after immigration authorities requested additional documentation.

The Trump administration has now revived the investigation, examining Omar’s marriage and her family’s immigration history.

However, authorities have not publicly established that Elmi is Omar’s brother or that she committed marriage fraud.

Omar’s spokesperson, Jackie Rogers, rejected the allegations.

“Rep. Omar has repeatedly and unequivocally denied this baseless, disgusting conspiracy theory,” Rogers said.

“This is a desperate political smear designed to distract from Trump’s failed presidency and two years of Republican failure in Congress.”

Federal agents searched Omar’s Washington residence on October 12 as part of the investigation.

Democrats have condemned the renewed scrutiny as politically motivated, particularly ahead of next week’s midterm elections, where Omar is seeking a fifth congressional term.