Melania Trump’s Father Viktor Knavs Shockingly Became US Citizen Despite Criminal Record

Melania Trump’s father shockingly became a U.S. citizen despite his criminal record.

The FLOTUS’ biographer from Slovenia, Igor Omerza, was flipping through “UBDA Net,” an online database of the secret police achives of Communist Yugoslavia. One of the IDs that appeared was named Viktor Knavs. It has the same details as Melania’s dad, not just the name, but including his birthday, parents, and hometown, The Daily Beast reported.

The record read that “the person is registered in the criminal record” and cited articles 226 and 235 of the Yugoslav penal code. However, there was no indication of charge, an investigation or a conviction.

Article 226 involves acquisition, sale or production of goods without the Socialist Federal Republic’s explicit permission. The penalty can range up to eight years of imprisonment.

Meanwhile, Article 235 is associated with tax evasion. It has a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment depending on the amount of money involved.

David Leopold, an immigration lawyer, woh formerly headed the American Immigration Lawyers Association, revealed that if Knavs was convicted of fraud it could keep him from getting a green card and could be a ground for revoking his citizenship. He added that there needs to be evidence that Knavs committed a crime of moral turpitude and tax crimes to jeopardize his citizenship.

However, Knav’s lawyers from Slovenia said that he was never convicted, investigated or charged despite the secret police record. Also, Knavs’ immigration lawyer Michael Wildes that his application was “properly executed.”

“Mr. Knavs’s application for U.S. citizenship was properly executed and adjudicated, consistent with the Immigration and Nationality Act. His naturalization process was no different than anyone else seeking citizenship in this country,” Wildes told The Daily Beast.

Melania’s citizenship was also questioned because she got an Einstein Visa and many questioned her eligibility as it was only given to highly acclaimed individuals in their field and for them, Melania didn’t excel in modeling. However, according to Susan McFadden, a specialist U.S. visa lawyer, the FLOTUS still qualifies because testimonials are part of the application process and the more high-profile reference she has, the more weight it carries.

“It’s about getting testimonials from someone who is extraordinary in their own right and has some name recognition, but who can also attest to specific achievements of the applicant. And I’m sure she probably had some pretty significant letters, maybe from Donald Trump,” she explained.