Fraud Tracker
Tracking the latest news on immigration fraud so you don’t have to.
It’s time to eliminate the U visa
It is bad enough that illegal immigrants are paying criminals to stage fake robberies so they can pretend to help law enforcement solve crimes, but now, Democratic sheriffs are passing out visas like candy to illegal immigrants who attack Republicans. It is far past time to put an end to all these shenanigans by eliminating the U visa.
Woman fakes robbery to obtain a U Visa
Three people are accused of conspiring to fake a robbery because one of the suspects wanted a U Visa. Prosecutors said Valenzuela Cruz offered Rivas Mardones $2,000 to pretend to rob her, so Valenzuela Cruz could get a U Visa which grants citizenship to victims of a crime. Fernandez admitted to being a getaway driver.
Texas man killed by bystander in what appeared to be a robbery. It turned out the robbery was a staged immigration fraud
An unnamed bystander in Texas did what Texans often do in January, and used his firearm to stop what appeared to be a violent robbery in progress. Now, police are saying that the "robbery" was in fact staged for the benefit of a fraudulent visa application, but the "robber" is still dead, and the fake "victims" are apparently nowhere to be found.
RHOA’ Porsha Williams’ text messages reveal husband’s immigration fraud motivated divorce
The divorce between Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams and Simon Guobadia includes allegations that Simon engaged in immigration fraud. According to court documents, Williams stated “that the news reports of Husband’s alleged immigration fraud, and what appeared to be an imminent threat of deportation, were shocking and affected Wife’s mental and emotional wellbeing.”
Chinese billionaire pleads guilty to immigration fraud
Hui Qin, a billionaire from China previously recognized in Forbes Magazine, entered a guilty plea in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to various charges, including immigration fraud. As part of his plea, Qin agreed to abandon his Lawful Permanent Resident status in the United States and now faces removal from the country.
Operators of large-scale marriage fraud agency sentenced following HSI San Diego, partner investigation
Four California-based people have been sentenced in federal court in Boston for their roles in running a large-scale marriage fraud agency that arranged hundreds of sham marriages for the primary purpose of circumventing immigration laws. This included, among other things, obtaining green cards under the Violence Against Women Act by falsely claiming that the undocumented clients had been abused by American spouses.
Husband who stabbed wife to death just 5 days after marrying her for immigration status locked up for life
A man in North Carolina who fatally stabbed a woman in the neck 16 times only days after marrying her to obtain legal immigration status has been sentenced to life in prison. He was undocumented, he said, and the marriage was a way to “help each other out.”
City of New Haven refuses to release marriage records suspected of immigration fraud
Seeking an exception to state open-records laws, the Elicker administration refused a request to view documents at the heart of a scandal over how City Hall handles marriage documents. The request was to view marriage license documents for 93 couples whom former city Registrar of Vital Statistics Trish Clark reported to immigration authorities.
Human Rights Violator Sentenced for Immigration Fraud and U.S. Citizenship Revoked
A Georgia man was sentenced today to three years in prison for unlawfully obtaining U.S. citizenship by lying about his role in persecuting teenagers in Ethiopia in the 1970s for their political opinions. According to court documents, Mezemr Abebe Belayneh, also known as Mezmur Amare Belayneh, 68, of Snellville, unlawfully obtained U.S. citizenship in 2008 by lying about and concealing that he persecuted and committed acts of violence against perceived political opponents during a period known as “the Red Terror” in Ethiopia.
Police Arrest Illegal Alien for Murder of Georgia Nursing Student; Arrest Brother for Immigration Fraud
Georgia police arrested Jose Ibarra, a 26 year-old illegal alien from Venezuela, for the murder of nursing student Laken Riley in Athens, Georgia. After Jose’s arrest, the details of his brother, Diego Ibarra, also began to surface. According to the Department of Justice, Diego is also an illegal alien from Venezuela. When encountered at the border, officials initially placed him in expedited removal proceedings, but Diego claimed asylum and was released on April 30, 2023, pending the adjudication of his asylum claim.
Two Indian-origin men indicted for staging armed robberies in a visa fraud conspiracy
Two Indian-origin men, who were arrested for staging armed robberies in a visa fraud conspiracy, have been indicted by a federal grand jury. Rambhai Patel, 36 and Balwinder Singh, 39, were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to commit visa fraud in Boston, Massachusetts.
NYC immigration lawyer helped clients get legal status with phony abuse claims: feds
A Bronx immigration lawyer gamed the system for years by having clients falsely claim they were abused by their own kids to fast-track their bids for legal status, federal prosecutors said Monday. Kofi Amankwaa and his son charged immigrant clients $6,000 a head to exploit the federal Violence Against Women Act by claiming they were victims of domestic abuse, which would expedite the migrants’ bid for legal residency in the US.
Immigration Fraud Scheme Involving Fake Marriages Busted in US; Here's how it was Orchestrated
Immigration offers an option for people to look for more opportunities abroad and make a better life in another land, but it can also land them in the centre of a scam. The latest to take advantage of this desire to emigrate to the US is a 42-year-old Philippine national residing in Los Angeles, who has been convicted by a federal jury in Boston for orchestrating a large-scale marriage fraud scheme.
2 NYC men charged with staging ‘at least 8’ bogus armed robberies all over the country for immigration perks
Two New York City men staged armed robberies at convenience stores and fast food joints across the United States to scheme immigration benefits, federal prosecutors said Friday. Rambhai Patel, 36, and Balwinder Singh, 39, were arrested on Dec. 13 and both charged with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud for their alleged plot, which allowed the “victims” of their robberies to apply for special immigration visas, Massachusetts prosecutors said.
Fake Robberies Allowed Fake Victims to Apply for Visas, Prosecutors Say
Two suspects were charged in a case that spans four states and highlights vulnerabilities in a federal visa program for immigrants. On first glance, a slew of eight armed robberies at mini-marts and liquor stores in four states this year appeared to be run-of-the-mill crimes. But F.B.I. agents investigating them noticed patterns that they said could suggest a more complex operation: The robberies, including at least one that involved an apparently fake gun, were staged as part of an elaborate visa-fraud scheme.
Lock Haven Man Convicted Of U Visa Fraud
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Vinaykumar Patel, age 33, a citizen of the Republic of India, was convicted of multiple counts related to visa fraud and conspiracy following a three-day jury trial that concluded on December 6, 2023.
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Role in Immigration Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme
Shai Cohen, 39, admitted to organizing and working with others to recruit and facilitate the illegal entry of Israeli citizens into the United States under false pretenses. From approximately 2011 through December 2013, Cohen and his co-conspirators assisted noncitizens in fraudulently obtaining B-1/B-2 tourist/visitor visas by misrepresenting the true purpose of their travel to the United States, which was illegal employment.
Chicago Immigration Attorney Facing Fraud Charges Faked Job Offers and Advised Clients to Enter Sham Marriages, Prosecutors Say
A Chicago immigration attorney is accused of helping clients cheat on civics exams and fabricate job offers, as well as advising them to enter into sham marriages in order to fraudulently obtain benefits, a new federal indictment alleges. Mohammad Reza Baniassadi, who owned and operated the Chicago-based Law Offices of Reza Baniassadi, has been charged in federal court with one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and five individual counts of falsifying applications for immigration benefits.
Operator of Large-Scale Marriage Fraud "Agency" Pleads Guilty
A California man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to running a large-scale marriage fraud “agency” that arranged hundreds of sham marriages for the primary purpose of circumventing immigration laws. This included, among other things, obtaining green cards under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) by claiming the undocumented clients had been abused by alleged American spouses.
Indian Citizen Pleads Guilty To Marriage Fraud Charge
U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Vikrant Chauhan, 35, a citizen of India living in Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.