Indictment: Boise Man Hid Wartime Abuse to Get Citizenship

A federal grand jury in Idaho has indicted Miran Kostic, a 66-year-old national of Bosnia and Herzegovina living in Boise, on charges of attempted naturalization fraud and making false statements to law enforcement. Prosecutors say Kostic, a former high-level official in the so-called Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia, repeatedly lied about his role in the brutal abuse of prisoners when he applied for U.S. citizenship.

According to the indictment, Kostic personally pistol-whipped detainees, beat them with wooden clubs and stakes, kicked them until they lost consciousness, and forced prisoners to assault one another. He also ordered other members of the province's security apparatus to carry out beatings. When he later sought to become an American, he failed to disclose those acts during interviews with the FBI and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and omitted charges filed against him in Bosnia for war crimes.

If convicted, Kostic faces a maximum of 10 years in prison on each of the naturalization fraud counts and up to five years for the false statements. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva stressed that Kostic benefited from U.S. residency for decades while hiding his past. "The integrity of our naturalization process and the enforcement of our immigration laws are paramount," said U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis for the District of Idaho.

Inside the U.S. Effort to Ferret Out War Criminals in the Naturalization Queue

A coordinated hunt for human rights abusers

The case against Kostic is the latest in a string of prosecutions that rely on growing cooperation among U.S. immigration, law enforcement, and international bodies. Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI's International Human Rights Unit, USCIS's Office of Fraud Detection and National Security, and the Department of Homeland Security's Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center all contributed to the investigation. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs worked with the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals to secure evidence — a sign of how such cases now depend on transnational partnerships.

What the charges signal

By charging Kostic with attempted naturalization fraud rather than relying solely on human rights statutes, prosecutors are sending a pragmatic message: even if the underlying atrocities were committed decades ago and abroad, lying on a citizenship application is a fresh, prosecutable offense. The approach gives authorities a simpler path to conviction and deportation, while reinforcing that the U.S. will not serve as safe harbor for individuals who conceal their involvement in serious human rights violations.

The burden on the naturalization system

Kostic's long residency in Idaho illustrates a persistent challenge for immigration agencies. Applicants are required to disclose past criminal and military conduct, but verifying claims about distant conflicts often demands painstaking cross-checks with foreign governments and international tribunals. This prosecution underscores the depth of background investigation that can be marshaled when multiple agencies pool resources — and the legal jeopardy that awaits those who think they can bury a violent past.

How to Report Suspected Human Rights Violators to the FBI

  • Anyone with information about human rights violators living in the United States can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at www.tips.fbi.gov. The Department of Justice encourages members of the public, including diaspora communities, to come forward with credible leads.