The US Department of Justice has filed a civil case seeking to revoke the citizenship of a Pakistani-born doctor convicted in a child exploitation case, according to official statements released on Saturday.
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The case targets Hassan Sherjil Khan, who was previously convicted under US federal law for offences involving a minor. Prosecutors allege that he began communicating with an 11-year-old girl online around 2007 or 2008 and continued contact over several years, coercing the victim into sharing explicit material and participating in online sexual activity. Authorities further claim that the accused later travelled abroad to engage in sexual acts with the victim when she was 15.
DOJ moves to revoke US citizenship of Pakistan-born doctor convicted of grooming 11-year-old girl in UK https://t.co/QibkZFUXJA
— Financial Express (@FinancialXpress) April 24, 2026
Despite the alleged conduct, officials say Khan applied for US citizenship in August 2012 and was granted naturalisation in May 2013 without disclosing his involvement in the offences. The victim later reported the abuse, leading to his arrest in 2015. In 2016, he pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and was sentenced to 17 years in prison. He remains incarcerated.
The Justice Department argues that the accused was ineligible for citizenship due to a lack of “good moral character” and for allegedly concealing material facts during the naturalisation process. The case has been filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and is being handled by federal immigration litigation authorities.
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Officials emphasised that the allegations in the civil complaint are yet to be adjudicated. While denaturalisation is relatively rare, US authorities have increased scrutiny of citizenship cases involving fraud or undisclosed criminal activity in recent years.