Federal Prosecution Launched for Alleged Court Order Forgery Involving Chief Justice Roberts

A federal grand jury in Pennsylvania has indicted a man for allegedly forging a court order purporting to be signed by Chief Justice John Roberts of the U.S. Supreme Court. The man, identified as John Culver of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is also accused of impersonating multiple federal law enforcement and intelligence officials, according to court documents.

The charges stem from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and were unsealed on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The indictment, returned in March, includes a total of seven counts, including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and impersonating a federal officer.

According to the indictment, Culver is accused of creating a fraudulent court order in the name of Chief Justice Roberts. The document, which appeared to authorize the seizure of property, was filed in a civil case in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Investigators allege that Culver used the forged order to pressure individuals into relinquishing assets or complying with demands.

In addition to the forged court order, Culver is accused of impersonating an NSA agent, a Supreme Court Special Master, and "the Director of Tailored Access Operations ('TAO'), a purported intelligence agency." The indictment does not specify whether Culver made direct contact with any individuals under these false pretenses, nor does it detail the nature of the purported intelligence agency.

The case was first reported by Bloomberg News on Wednesday, citing court documents. The docket entries for the civil case in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania appear to reflect the filing of the purported Chief Justice order, though the details of those entries are not included in the indictment.

If convicted, Culver faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud and five years for each count of aggravated identity theft. The charge of impersonating a federal officer carries a maximum penalty of three years. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III.

Authorities have not released further details about the investigation. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania declined to comment on the case beyond the indictment. Attempts to reach Culver or his attorney were not immediately successful.

The case underscores the seriousness with which federal authorities treat fraudulent schemes involving the judiciary and law enforcement. Forging court orders and impersonating federal officers are crimes that undermine public trust in government institutions and can have significant legal and financial consequences for victims. Federal prosecutors have not indicated whether additional charges or defendants may be forthcoming in the investigation.