SWAMPSCOTT — Kemal Mrndzic, 52, has been convicted in federal court on the charges of engaging in a scheme to conceal his involvement in persecution of Serb prisoners at the Celebici prison camp in Bosnia in 1992, making a false statement to Homeland Security about his true role at the camp, possessing a fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate and Social Security card, and using a fraudulently obtained passport and certificate of naturalization.
Mrndzic was first arrested at his Summit Estates Condominium on Paradise Road in May 2023. The prosecution alleged he falsely claimed he fled his home after he was captured, interrogated, and abused by Serb forces, and could not return home out of fear of future persecution in order to be admitted into the U.S. as a refugee in 1999. After a decade of residing in the country, he became a naturalized citizen.
“A jury found Mrndzic guilty of lying about his past to come to the U.S. under false pretenses, concealing his work as a guard at the notorious Celebici prison camp, a prison with well-documented cases of violence, abuse and even murder of prisoners during the Bosnian War,” Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, New England Michael Krol said.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, five survivors testified to the conditions of Celebici that Mrndzic played a role in as a supervisor. They alleged they were nearly suffocated from being imprisoned in manholes for multiple hours, and were subject to beatings with blunt objects from guards multiple times per day. They also said they witnessed multiple murders and instances of sexual abuse.
“HSI continues to use our international reach and regional expertise to uncover the past and bring to justice those who lie to undeservingly seek refuge in the U.S. We want to express our deep gratitude to the bravery of the survivors who came forward to testify during this trial,” Krol said.
The charges of using a fraudulently obtained passport and fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. The other charges could potentially result in a sentence of five years each.
