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Maj. Collin Welch pleads guilty to fraud and immigration abuse in secret second marriage
Maj. Collin Welch, a 40‑year‑old National Guard officer, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Washington to stealing about $54,000 in government funds and forging official records to facilitate a secret second marriage. Using his government travel card, he submitted false reimbursement claims, paid for travel and hotel rooms, and forged a divorce decree and immigration documents to convince a Mongolian woman and her daughter that they could remain in the United States illegally and were on a path to citizenship.
The affair began in 2019 while Welch was stationed with the Alaska National Guard at the U.S. Embassy in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and continued after his return to Alaska, a move to Arkansas, and later a role with the District of Columbia National Guard. He married the Mongolian woman again in Virginia, falsely claiming he had never been married before, and was later evicted after attempting to pay rent with forged checks. Welch faces sentencing for the fraud and immigration violations.
Entities
Alaska National Guard · District of Columbia National Guard · Maj. Collin Welch · Mongolia · U.S. Department of Justice
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 5 SOURCES] Welch was deployed to Afghanistan and Djibouti during his service. www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com · mymotherlode.com · www.kob.com · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Welch is awaiting sentencing in the U.S. District Court in Washington. www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com · mymotherlode.com · www.kob.com · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] The affair began in 2019 while Welch was stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com · mymotherlode.com · www.kob.com · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] He forged a fake divorce decree and other immigration documents to convince the woman she was on a path to U.S. citizenship. www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com · mymotherlode.com · www.kob.com · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Welch used a government travel card to submit false reimbursement expenses and to fund travel for the Mongolian woman and her daughter. www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com · mymotherlode.com · www.kob.com · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Welch induced the Mongolian woman and her daughter to remain in the United States unlawfully. www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com · mymotherlode.com · www.kob.com · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Maj. Collin Welch, 40, pleaded guilty to stealing about $54,000 in government money. www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com · mymotherlode.com · www.kob.com · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] He married the woman again in Virginia, falsely claiming he had never been married before. www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com · mymotherlode.com · www.kob.com · www.troyrecord.com