A Toronto rabbi who fled the U.S. five years ago and is accused of masterminding a massive immigration fraud mill in America has been extradited from Canada to New York.
Rabbi Avraham David, 47, whose real name is Earl Seth David, and who used to run a New York-based immigration law firm faces immigration fraud charges relating to the alleged processing of thousands of false immigration applications.
He was arrested in Toronto in October while walking near his home in North York, Toronto police announced at the time, with Det. Rick Mooney calling the case “one of the largest scams in American history.’’
Donovan Vincent Staff Reporter
He was arrested in Toronto in October while walking near his home in North York, Toronto police announced at the time, with Det. Rick Mooney calling the case “one of the largest scams in American history.’’
Federal prosecutors in the U.S. allege David’s U.S. firm made millions of dollars by charging inflated fees to illegal immigrants to obtain legal status for them through fraudulent means. The million-dollar scam saw clients charged as much as $30,000 each, authorities allege.
U.S. authorities say he fled Canada in 2006, and that his law firm closed in 2009.
“When he fled to Canada to avoid prosecution, Earl Seth David left thousands of victims of his alleged fraud in his wake — people who believed he was helping them secure legal status and paid him a lot of money to do so,” U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said.
Avi Moskowitz, a lawyer for David, declined to comment. His client was held without bail after an initial court appearance.
Prosecutors said David is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States.
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