American Irish passport fraudster identified using 1970s FBI fingerprints

The US embassy and the FBI have helped Irish police identify the 72-year-old American charged with using the names of two deceased Irish babies, Philip Morris and Geoffrey Warbrook, to apply for fraudulent Irish passports. 

Randolph Kirk Parker appeared via video link from Cork Prison on three charges of providing false information in relation to passport applications. The US citizen, born on March 7, 1951, used the names of two babies who had died in the 1950s to apply for passports in Ireland. 

Detectives from the Garda (Police) National Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Ireland identified through inquiries with the US embassy and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. During a September court hearing, Detective Garda Hanley said a positive identification for Parker had been made based on a 1970 arrest record from the FBI, using fingerprints.

Parker spoke in court on Tuesday only to confirm he could hear and see the court and that his name, newly discovered, and date of birth were correct. The accused 72-year-old is described by the Irish Times as balding, with a white beard and "speaks with an American accent".

In court, Sergeant Pat Lyons, said, "Now that the State has crossed that hurdle", his application was for a further remand in custody for four weeks, until Dec 5th, RTE reports. 

Parker's solicitor, Frank Buttimer said it was hoped that progress could be made in obtaining directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions on how the case should proceed.

The US citizen was charged on September 15, 2023, with two offenses of providing false information in relation to a passport application on a date between September 12 and 25, 2012, and again on June 7, 2022, at the Passport Office, South Mall, Cork. He has remained in custody since his arrest. 

When questioned by police, Det Garda Hanley told the court, that Parker had said he was living in Ireland and needed a passport to leave the country. Parker then refused to assist officers in any way and refused to tell them his true identity.

Det Garda Hanley previously told the court Parker, allegedly used the name of a baby, Philip Frank Morris, who was born in December 1952. Police spoke to the brother of Morris. Sadly the baby had died just four months later in 1953. 

Similarly, Det Garda Hanley spoke to Geoffrey Warbook's relatives and they had confirmed that this baby also died at a young age in 1952.

Hanley said "Both of those two people [Philip Morris and Geoffrey Warbook] died. We have interviewed siblings of both of those people who died in 1952 and 1953. They died within months of their birth.

“We are satisfied that he is not Philip Morris or Geoffrey Warbrook.”

Randolph Kirk Parker will appear in court on December 5, via video link.