Investigations

On December 30, 2020, Howard Farley and Duc Hanh Thi Vu were indicted in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida on seven counts of fraud violations related to obtaining a Federal Aviation Administration airman certificate and U.S. passport. Farley was indicted for passport and social security fraud, obtaining and acting as an airman with a fraudulently obtained pilot’s certificate, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Vu was indicted for passport fraud, making false statements to a DOT-OIG agent, and employing an airman without a valid airman’s certificate. On December 18, 2020, the Government seized Vu’s aircraft.

 

DOT-OIG is conducting this investigation with the Department of State-Diplomatic Security Service, Social Security Administration-OIG, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Sheriff’s Office of Marion County, Florida.

 

Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.