Yorkshireman accused of stealing dead American's identity

John Skelton, 41, was arrested on Monday after flying in to Baltimore-Washington airport, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said.

He allegedly stole the identity of US citizen Kurt Branham, who died in 1994, spokesman Steve Sapp said.

He was held after allegedly using a fraudulent US passport to re-enter the country after a trip to the UK.

He is accused of aggravated identity theft, making a false statement in an application and use of a US passport, and social security number fraud.

According to investigators, Skelton has said he had the passport issued to him in 2005 because he had become involved in a relationship and wanted to stay in the US.

He allegedly chose the name from a list of suggested identities given to him by a friend. Branham was the most English-sounding name of the group, so he chose it, investigators say.

He apparently now wants to return to Britain and was making preparations for his return during his last trip.

Investigators detected the alleged fraud using techniques employed during Operation "Death Match", which cross checks US passports to the social security numbers of people who have died.

More than 150 individuals have been charged with federal passport fraud and related offences as a result of Death Match investigations.

Officers were waiting at the airport when Skelton got off his flight from London.

It was reported by US newspapers that Mr Branham was a legislative aide to US Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, who died in 1994 aged 28.

An obituary published in the Washington Post said Mr Branham had worked on legislation which included laws dealing with missing and abused children, the Baltimore Sun said.