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ISCR Case 25-00370 — CASE

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ISCR Case 25-00370

A decided public DOHA case, shown for research — not advice or a prediction.

Case Profile
Decision Date3/9/2026
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Judge: Mark W. Harvey
Government Counsel: Lauren A. Shure
Applicant's Counsel: Katie Quintana
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 32-year-old project coordinator who immigrated to the United States from Russia at the age of five. He applied for a security clearance, but the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing concerns under Guidelines B (foreign influence) and E (personal conduct). The SOR alleged that the applicant had familial ties to individuals residing in Russia, including his father, uncle, and grandmother, which raised potential security risks.
During the proceedings, the applicant admitted to certain allegations regarding his family members but provided mitigating information, asserting that he had limited contact with them and no financial ties. He claimed that his relationship with his father was estranged and that he had not communicated with him frequently. The applicant also contested the accuracy of information regarding his father's employment, suggesting it was based on misinformation from a previous employer. The administrative judge found that the applicant's connections to Russia, despite his assertions of limited contact and lack of financial support, did not sufficiently mitigate the security concerns raised by the SOR.
Ultimately, the administrative judge ruled against the applicant, concluding that the concerns under Guidelines B and E were not mitigated. The judge emphasized the potential for coercion or influence due to the applicant's familial connections in Russia, which posed a risk to national security. As a result, the applicant's eligibility for access to classified information was denied.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline BForeign Influence · Against Applicant
- Guideline EPersonal Conduct · Against Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 25-00370

deniedMar 9, 2026· Hon. Mark W. Harvey· hearing

Summary

A 32-year-old project coordinator, born in Russia, was denied a U.S. security clearance under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) and Guideline E (Personal Conduct). The denial stemmed from two primary concerns identified by the judge as significant national security risks.

Firstly, under Guideline B, the applicant admitted to maintaining family ties in Russia, specifically with his father and an uncle. These ongoing foreign connections were deemed to pose a security risk.

Secondly, under Guideline E, the applicant was found to have falsified information on his security clearance application. This misrepresentation specifically concerned his foreign contacts, leading to the determination that his personal conduct was disqualifying. Based on these factors, the application was denied.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant admitted to having family ties in Russia, including a father and uncle, which raised security risks under Guideline B.
The applicant was found to have falsified information on his security clearance application regarding his foreign contacts under Guideline E.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 7(a)appliedContact with Foreign Family Members
AG ¶ 7(b)appliedConnections to Foreign Persons Creating Potential Conflict of Interest
AG ¶ 16(a)appliedDeliberate Omission or Falsification of Relevant Facts

Key Rule Quoted

“An SOR is an administrative pleading that is not held to the strict requirements of a criminal indictment, and it does not have to allege every possible fact that might be relevant at the hearing.”
— DOHA Appeal Board

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedApr 11, 2025
Answer filedJul 21, 2025
Hearing heldFeb 6, 2026via Microsoft Teams
Decision dateMar 9, 2026

Cite For

Denial of Security Clearance Due to Foreign Influence Under Guideline B
Falsification of Information on Security Clearance Application Under Guideline E
Impact of Family Ties in a Hostile Country on Security Clearance Eligibility

Editorial summary generated for research. Not legal advice; not a prediction. Verify against the full decision before relying on any quoted language.

Full decision

The complete, official text — footnotes and signatures included — is in the original PDF.