Would-be Kidnapper’s Passport Fraud Conviction Upheld on Appeal

A woman who attempted to kidnap her biological daughter and take her out of the country after her parental rights were terminated failed Wednesday in her appeal to undo convictions for passport fraud and identity theft.

Mahsa Parviz argued that the government presented insufficient evidence that she “used” someone else’s identity to commit passport fraud. The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit disagreed, saying the evidence was sufficient to show that her fraudulent use of another’s means of identification was “at the crux” of what made her passport fraud criminal.

A passport applicant—including a minor—is required to appear ...