An American Army officer has admitted to using forged documents and misappropriated public funds in connection with a secret second marriage to a Mongolian woman. Major Collin Welch, 40, pleaded guilty to fabricating a divorce certificate to convince the woman he was legally free to remarry.

Welch’s relationship with the woman began in 2019 while he was stationed in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, serving with the Alaska National Guard at the US embassy. After returning to Alaska in 2021, he traveled back to Mongolia to marry her in 2023.

Following the marriage, Welch arranged for his second wife to move to the United States. To conceal the illegality of her status, he falsified government records, leading her to believe she was living in the country legally. Meanwhile, he maintained a separate family life with his first wife and children in Washington, D.C.

Reports indicate that Welch used his government-issued card to pay for hotel rooms where he conducted video calls with his second wife. This was intended to prevent her from discovering that he was actually residing with his first family.

The case highlights breaches of military conduct and federal regulations concerning the use of government resources. Details of the legal proceedings and potential penalties have not been disclosed. The Department of Defense has not issued a comment on the matter.