FOREIGNER POSES AS U.S.MARINE, TRIES TO DUPE CNDD

C O N F I D E N T I A L CONAKRY 000198 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC GV SUBJECT: FOREIGNER POSES AS U.S.MARINE, TRIES TO DUPE CNDD Classified By: POLOFF J. TULLY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) On 30 March 2009 a possible U.S. citizen in a U.S. military uniform claiming to be a Marine 1st Lieutenant representing the Pentagon met with President Dadis at Camp Alpha Yaya and offered to provide U.S.training and scholarships to the Gendarmerie in exchange for 300,000 Euros ($400,000 USD). The citizenship and identity of this person is unknown at this point. ¶2. (C) A local Embassy contact alerted the DAO who confirmed that this person was not associated with the Embassy and was most likely an imposter. DAO then contacted Guinea's Chief of Defense, explained that this was most likely a case of fraud, and asked him to acquire a copy of the individual's passport. DAO was able to briefly see the obviously forged supporting document that the imposter presented as proof of his official status, but his passport has not yet been seen. ¶3. (C) The current whereabouts of the individual are unknown. If he is an American citizen and if detained by Guinean authorities, RSO will proceed according to established protocol and share pertinent information revealed in any interviews. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) President Dadis is reportedly embarrassed by this incident having been the victim of numerous con artists over the past several months, including a scheme wherein the GOG paid 100,000 Euros ($132,000 USD) to an individual to broker a deal for an aircraft. Embassy contacts indicate that Venezuelan, French, Haitian, Russian and Ukranian con artists have reportedly contacted Guinean government officials using a variety of fraudulent schemes. RASPOLIC