Brian Sells
Former Consular Section Chief, U.S. Embassy Lomé, Togo (circa 2020) | Career Foreign Service Officer | Aviation Safety Expert | JD, Master of Public Policy
Note: Official photo from Ohio State event available. Brian Sells maintains public profile through university speaking engagements and professional associations.
Key Facts: Brian Sells
- Position in 2020: Consular Section Chief, U.S. Embassy Lomé, Togo
- Critical Decision: Designated Sgt. Kelvin Blas as “romance scam” based on grammar errors and word choice
- Impact: His determination became the bureaucratic justification used by all subsequent officials for 5+ years
- Education: BA Economics & Public Policy + Master of Public Policy (University of Chicago); JD (University of Iowa / Ohio State Moritz College of Law)
- Background: Former Fulbright Scholar (Georgia); Brief Peace Corps volunteer (Uzbekistan)
- Expertise: Aviation safety; Policy adviser to ICAO; Liaison to FAA/NTSB; High-profile international incident analysis
- Notable Work: PS752 Iran shootdown investigation; Belarus/Ryanair diversion; 737 MAX return-to-service
- Career Posts: Consular Chief (Lomé, Djibouti); ACS Chief (Kabul); Acting NIV Chief (Lagos)
- From: Columbus, Ohio; Columbus Alternative High School graduate
- Current Status: Career FSO, location unknown (subject to FOIA)
- Legacy: Created the “romance scam” designation that every official cited for half a decade
The Bureaucratic Gatekeeper: Grammar Police Over Investigation
In 2020, when Army Sgt. Kelvin Blas approached U.S. Embassy Lomé seeking consular services, he encountered Brian Sells—the Consular Section Chief, the official with direct authority over citizen services and the power to provide or deny assistance to Americans in distress.
Sells made a determination that would shape the next five years of Blas’s life and become the institutional justification for systematic abandonment: He designated Blas as a “romance scam” based on grammar errors and word choice in Blas’s communications.
Not based on investigation. Not based on military service verification. Not based on interviewing Blas directly or reviewing his documented situation. Based on grammar.
Brian Sells—a lawyer with a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago, a former Fulbright Scholar, an aviation safety expert who investigated international shootdowns and hijackings—reduced an American veteran’s five-year crisis to a language analysis.
And every official who came after him cited Sells’s determination as justification for continued denial of services.
The “Romance Scam” Determination: Bureaucracy Over Investigation
According to information documented in the Kelvin Blas case, Brian Sells based his “romance scam” determination on factors that had nothing to do with actual investigation:
What Sells Focused On:
- Grammar errors in written communications
- Word choice that Sells deemed suspicious or unusual
- Language patterns that fit his preconceived notion of how “scammers” write
- Superficial analysis of correspondence rather than circumstances
What Sells Apparently Ignored:
- Blas’s military service record and veteran status
- The circumstances that led Blas to flee to Togo
- Blas’s documented attempts to access services (eventually fifteen embassy visits)
- The fact that Blas appeared nine times with a local Togolese attorney
- Any investigation into Blas’s actual situation beyond language analysis
- The possibility that English language patterns might reflect trauma, stress, or genuine crisis rather than fraud
The Fulbright Scholar Who Failed at Cultural Understanding
Brian Sells is a former Fulbright Scholar—a program designed to promote cross-cultural understanding, linguistic competence, and international cooperation. Fulbright Fellows are selected for their ability to navigate cultural differences and engage meaningfully across linguistic barriers.
Yet when presented with an American citizen whose communication patterns differed from Sells’s expectations, he responded not with cultural sensitivity or investigative curiosity, but with bureaucratic dismissal based on language policing.
He was also a brief Peace Corps volunteer (Uzbekistan, until program closure post-9/11)—another program built on helping people and cross-cultural engagement.
The irony: Programs that train cultural sensitivity and service to others, applied by someone who reduced a veteran’s crisis to grammar errors.
The Aviation Expert Who Couldn’t Investigate a Consular Case
Brian Sells’s later career demonstrates his capability for complex international incident analysis:
His Aviation Safety Portfolio (Post-Lomé)
- Department of State action officer for aviation safety
- Liaison to FAA and National Transportation Safety Board
- Policy adviser to U.S. mission at International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
- PS752 Iran shootdown investigation – Complex international incident involving Iranian military mistakenly downing Ukrainian passenger aircraft
- Belarus/Ryanair diversion – International incident involving forced landing to arrest journalist
- Boeing 737 MAX return-to-service – Multi-agency coordination on aviation safety certification
These assignments demonstrate Sells’s proven capability for:
- Complex factual investigation
- Multi-source information gathering
- International coordination and verification
- High-stakes decision-making based on evidence
- Attention to detail in matters of life and death
Yet when it came to investigating why an American veteran needed consular services in Togo, Sells applied none of this investigative rigor. He looked at grammar and made a snap judgment that would stick for five years.
He could investigate an international shootdown. He couldn’t be bothered to investigate whether a veteran might actually be in crisis.
The Education That Should Have Prevented This
Brian Sells’s educational credentials suggest he should have known better:
| Degree | Institution | Field |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Arts | University of Chicago | Economics and Public Policy |
| Master of Public Policy | University of Chicago | Public Policy |
| Juris Doctor (JD) | University of Iowa / Ohio State Moritz College of Law (3L year) | Law |
What His Training Should Have Taught Him:
- Law degree: Evidentiary standards, burden of proof, due process, investigative methodology
- Public policy training: Systematic analysis, policy implementation, unintended consequences, equity concerns
- Economics background: Rational decision-making, cost-benefit analysis, resource allocation
- University of Chicago: Rigorous analytical thinking, questioning assumptions, evidence-based reasoning
With a JD and an MPP from the University of Chicago, Brian Sells knew—or should have known—that designating someone as fraudulent based solely on grammar violates every principle of evidence, investigation, and due process.
He did it anyway.
The Bureaucratic Legacy: Five Years of Justification
The most devastating aspect of Brian Sells’s “romance scam” determination is not just that it was made without proper investigation. It’s that every subsequent official used it as justification to continue denying services.
How Sells’s Determination Was Used (2020-2025):
- Eric Stromayer (Ambassador, 2019-2023): Allegedly told Blas “Americans aren’t Black” around the same time Sells made his determination—possibly relying on Sells’s consular recommendation
- Elizabeth Fitzsimmons (Ambassador, 2022-2024): Continued to deny services for two years, citing existing consular determination
- Carlos Hernandez (Consul General, 2021-2025): Dismissed Blas’s case as “scam” in boilerplate template responses
- Ronald Hawkins (Chargé, 2024-2025): Created “The File” incorporating the “romance scam” designation as institutional knowledge
- Richard Michaels (Chargé, 2025-Present): Inherited “The File” including Sells’s determination; assault occurred under his watch
- Kim McClure (DCM, 2024-Present): Operationally manages embassy using protocols built on Sells’s designation
Brian Sells made one bad determination in 2020. It has been used to justify abandonment for over five years by six different officials.
The Pattern Sells Established
By basing his “romance scam” determination on grammar rather than investigation, Brian Sells established a pattern that would define the Kelvin Blas case for years:
- Superficial analysis over investigation
- Preconceived narratives over facts
- Bureaucratic convenience over due diligence
- Language policing over service provision
- Snap judgments over verification
Once Sells made his determination and it entered the consular record, it became institutional truth. Subsequent officials could point to the “existing designation” as justification, never questioning whether Sells had done his job properly in the first place.
This is how bureaucracy transforms one person’s failure into systematic abandonment. And Brian Sells was the person whose failure started it all.
Professional Background and Career Timeline
| Position | Location | Years/Period |
|---|---|---|
| Aviation Safety Action Officer | Department of State / FAA-NTSB Liaison | Post-Lomé (exact dates TBD via FOIA) |
| Policy Adviser | U.S. Mission to ICAO | Post-Lomé |
| Consular Section Chief | U.S. Embassy Lomé, Togo | Circa 2020 (Kelvin Blas determination) |
| Consular Section Chief | U.S. Embassy Djibouti | September 2015 arrival (per OIG) |
| American Citizen Services Chief | U.S. Embassy Kabul, Afghanistan | Years not specified |
| Acting NIV Chief | U.S. Embassy Lagos, Nigeria | Years not specified |
| Vice Consul | Various earlier posts | Earlier career |
Notable Professional Work
- PS752 Investigation: Iran Revolutionary Guard shooting down of Ukraine International Airlines flight (January 2020, 176 killed)
- Belarus/Ryanair Incident: Forced diversion to arrest journalist Roman Protasevich (May 2021)
- 737 MAX Return-to-Service: Multi-agency coordination on safety certification after two fatal crashes
- FAA/NTSB Liaison: Coordination between State Department and U.S. aviation safety agencies
Personal Background
- Native of Columbus, Ohio
- Graduate of Columbus Alternative High School
- Former Fulbright Scholar (Georgia)
- Brief Peace Corps volunteer (Uzbekistan, until program closure post-9/11)
- Spouse: Frida (Foreign Service Financial Management Officer)
- Family includes a Nigerian cat named Abiola (per public biography)
The Questions Brian Sells Must Answer
Although Brian Sells is no longer serving as Consular Section Chief at Embassy Lomé, he remains accountable for the determination that established five years of bureaucratic abandonment:
- What specific evidence did you review before making the “romance scam” determination for Kelvin Blas? Was it solely based on language analysis, or did you conduct any investigation?
- Did you verify Blas’s military service record before designating him as fraudulent? If no, why not? If yes, how did you reconcile veteran status with “scam” designation?
- Did you personally interview Kelvin Blas before making your determination? If no, how can a consular chief make a fraud designation without direct engagement?
- What consular training or guidance supports making fraud determinations based primarily on grammar and word choice?
- As a lawyer with an MPP from the University of Chicago, how do you justify a determination that lacks evidentiary foundation?
- As a former Fulbright Scholar trained in cross-cultural communication, why did you apply language policing rather than cultural understanding?
- Given your aviation safety expertise in complex investigations like PS752, why didn’t you apply similar investigative rigor to the Blas case?
- Were you aware that your determination would become the institutional justification used by subsequent officials for years?
- Did you document the basis for your determination in case files that could be reviewed? If so, will you support release of those records via FOIA?
- Knowing now that your “romance scam” designation has been used to justify five years of abandonment culminating in physical assault, do you believe your determination was appropriate?
Brian Sells may have moved on to other assignments. But his bureaucratic determination remains the foundation of systematic abandonment. He cannot escape accountability for creating the justification everyone else hid behind.
Documentation and Resources
Official Sources
- Ohio State University – Career Pathways in Diplomacy Event (Biography and Photo)
- State Department OIG – Djibouti Inspection (Lists Sells as Consular Chief)
- True Signal Media – November 2025 Report Identifying Sells Role
Related CFW Documentation
- Eric Stromayer Profile – The Ambassador Who Said “Americans Aren’t Black”
- Carlos Hernandez Profile – The Consul General Who Called It “Scam”
- Elizabeth Fitzsimmons Profile – Two Years of Inaction
- Ronald E. Hawkins Jr. Profile – Created “The File”
- Richard C. Michaels Profile – Current Chargé, Violence Under His Watch
- Kim McClure Profile – Current DCM, Operational Manager
- Full Case Documentation: Sgt. Kelvin Blas
- TSM FOIA Tracker – Seeking Sells’s Determination Records
FOIA and Accountability
- State Department FOIA Office
- State Department Office of Civil Rights
- State Department Office of Inspector General
- FOIA.gov – Understanding Your Rights
Demand Records of the Original Determination
Brian Sells’s “romance scam” determination in 2020 became the foundation for five years of abandonment. Those records must be disclosed:
What FOIA Should Reveal:
- The specific evidence Sells reviewed before making his determination
- Any documentation of interview with Kelvin Blas (if it occurred)
- Verification (or lack thereof) of Blas’s military service
- Consular Section Chief memos, cables, or case notes from 2020
- Any guidance Sells provided to subordinate consular officers
- The bureaucratic record that subsequent officials cited
Contact the State Department:
- State Department Main Switchboard: (202) 647-4000
- Bureau of Consular Affairs: Oversight of consular determinations
- Office of Inspector General: Report Consular Misconduct
- Office of Civil Rights: Report Discriminatory Determinations
Report Similar Cases:
A Note on Bureaucratic Accountability
This profile documents publicly available information about Brian Sells’s service as Consular Section Chief at U.S. Embassy Lomé circa 2020, and his creation of the “romance scam” determination that became the institutional justification for five years of systematic abandonment.
As a career Foreign Service Officer with legal training, public policy expertise, and subsequent high-profile assignments investigating international incidents, Sells had—and has—the capability to understand proper investigative standards. His determination that an American veteran was fraudulent based on grammar analysis falls below those standards.
The consequences of his determination cannot be separated from his responsibility for making it. When bureaucratic convenience replaces investigation, and language policing replaces verification, Americans suffer—and accountability demands transparency.
If you are a current or former State Department employee with information about consular determination protocols, Brian Sells’s 2020 decision-making, or similar cases of inadequate investigation, please preserve all relevant records. You may contact CFW confidentially at [email protected].
Bad bureaucratic decisions shouldn’t haunt citizens for half a decade. But when they do, the public deserves to know who made them and why.
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Accountability Has No Borders™
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