# Brazilian police probe fake ID scheme for foreigners

> Federal District police launch operation against criminal organization forging birth certificates to issue Brazilian identity cards to Middle Eastern and Russian nationals.
- Title: Brazilian police probe fake ID scheme for foreigners
- Summary: Federal District police launch operation against criminal organization forging birth certificates to issue Brazilian identity cards to Middle Eastern and…
- Keywords: federal district civil police, birth certificate fraud, brazilian identity cards, fahad abdullah bakalka, middle east, russia, rio de janeiro, são paulo, terrorism, brazil, Folha de S.Paulo
- Source: Folha de S.Paulo — https://redir.folha.com.br/redir/online//rss091/*https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/world/2026/11/brazilian-police-investigate-birth-certificate-fraud-scheme-to-issue-brazilian-ids-to-foreigners.shtml
- Published: 2026-11-12T18:25:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: federal district civil police, birth certificate fraud, brazilian identity cards, fahad abdullah bakalka, middle east, russia, rio de janeiro, são paulo, terrorism, brazil, news, politics
## Police target forged birth certificate ring
The Federal District's Civil Police launched an operation Thursday against a criminal organization suspected of forging birth certificates so foreigners from the Middle East and Russia could obtain Brazilian identity cards.
## Saudi linked to September 11 among beneficiaries
Among those who obtained forged documents is Fahad Abdullah Bakalka, mentioned in a U.S.document about the September 11 attacks.
## Five arrested as fourteen suspects flee
Fourteen suspects are fugitives, thirteen of Arab origin and one of Russian origin, most having left the country.
## Key takeaway

Brazilian police are investigating a birth certificate fraud scheme that issued identity cards to foreigners, including a Saudi linked to September 11 attacks.