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Ukrainian Who Pretended To Be High Schooler Faces U.S. Fraud Charges


A Ukrainian man accused of faking his name and age while attending a central Pennsylvania high school and having sex with an underage girl is facing federal passport fraud and social security fraud charges in the United States.

In a May 25 indictment, federal prosecutors said Artur Samarin applied for a passport at a U.S. post office in December using a false identity and submitted false information to obtain a social security card.

The 23-year-old Samarin previously was charged in Pennsylvania with unsworn falsification, statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors, theft, and tampering with public records.
Samarin, who called himself Asher Potts, is accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

He impressed teachers and community leaders while attending a Pennsylvania high school and was accepted into a college in Florida before authorities discovered he was an older Ukrainian citizen who overstayed a student work visa.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters

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