Thread: CA: 3 O.C. residents suspected of visa fraud

3 O.C. residents suspected of visa fraud

BY CINDY CARCAMO
Orange County Register
March 6, 2011
CERRITOS, CA

Immigration agents arrested three members of a Yorba Linda family on suspicion of visa fraud at their immigration consulting business in Cerritos Wednesday morning, officials said.

The trio is suspected of filing fraudulent marriage and work visa petitions on behalf of foreigners who paid fees as high as $60,000, federal officials reported Wednesday. All three face up to ten years in federal prison.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials arrested Ajit Kumar Bhargava, his wife, Nisha Bhargava, and their daughter, Runjhun Bhargava, after the three were named as part of a criminal complaint filed about a week ago in the U.S. District Court, the Department of Justice stated in a release.

The three operate an immigration consulting business called MPEagle Consultants in Cerritos, which caters primarily to Indian nationals. Immigration agents with ICE Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant at the business early Wednesday.

The three members of the Bhargava family are accused of recruiting unemployed and low-income U.S. citizens with promises of $2,000 payments in exchange for marrying MPEagle's foreign clients, according to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement statement.

Federal officials allege the three made the couples pose together for photos and open joint bank accounts to make the fake marriages appear real. The three would then file a fraudulent immigrant visa petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, officials said.

Ajit Bhargava quoted different fees to his clients depending on the type of visa they wanted, such as $15,000 for a work visa or up to $60,000 for a visa based upon marriage to a U.S. citizen, immigration officials reported.

"America's immigration system is not for sale and those who think they can game the system for personal gain will find there's a high price to pay," stated Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for ICE HSI in Los Angeles. "Visa fraud is a serious crime. Not only does it undermine the integrity of our legal immigration process and penalize those who abide by the law, it also poses a significant security vulnerability."

The investigation into the family began in September 2009 after officers with the Fraud Detection and National Security Division of USCIS in Santa Ana noticed suspicious similarities with 21 visa petitions traced back to MPEagle, officials reported. In some cases, the applicants used the same marriage certificates, divorce certificates, witnesses or even U.S. citizen spouses.

MPEagle's website states that it offers immigration services in several locations outside of Cerritos, such as Georgia, New Jersey and India.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/-295249--.html

The lesson here kids is its not ok to run a buisness selling american freedoms unless your a democrate or mexican " coyote " then its only wrong before you cross the border after that your free to suck the life out of the counrty!

Feds: Family Charged Illegal Immigrants $60K For Fake Marriage
April 6, 2011

SANTA ANA (KTLA) -- An Orange County family was charged Wednesday on in connection with 20 fake marriages meant to keep illegals in the country, federal authorities said.

The family ran immigration services through the Cerritos-based consulting firm based MPEagle Consultants and catered to Indian nationals.

Federal authorities arrested Ajit Bhargava, 56, his wife Nisha Bhargava, 56, and their daughter Runjhun Bhargava, 30 at their home in Yorba Linda for conspiracy to commit visa fraud, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials said Wednesday.

Authorities said the family used the same witnesses and, in some cases, the same spouse in the marriages. They also staged photographs in public places to feign a relationship.

They reportedly charged as much as $60,000 per marriage.

Immigration officers became suspicious of the Bhargava's when they noticed a pattern among 21 files.

They claim the family recruited unemployed and low-income Americans, including some who were homeless and drug addicts, and paid them $2,000. According to court papers, some claimed they weren't paid.

Nisha and Runjhun have pleaded not guilty. Ajit is expected to appear in court on Thurday.

www.ktla.com

I.C.E. News Release


April 6, 2011
Santa Ana, CA

Owners of L.A.-area immigration consulting business arrested for visa fraud

Firm allegedly charged up to $60,000 to file bogus marriage, work visa petitions

SANTA ANA, Calif. - Three members of an Orange County family who operate an immigration consulting business that caters primarily to Indian nationals were arrested Wednesday morning on immigration fraud charges for allegedly filing bogus marriage and work visa petitions on behalf of aliens who paid fees as high as $60,000.

Ajit Kumar Bhargava, 61; his wife, Nisha Bhargava, 56; and their daughter, Runjhun Bhargava, 30, were arrested this morning after being named in a criminal complaint filed March 29 in U.S. District Court.

The three defendants, all residents of Yorba Linda, Calif., own and operate MPEagle Consultants in Cerritos, Calif., where special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant Wednesday. All three are charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud.

According to court documents, the three members of the Bhargava family recruited unemployed and low-income United States citizens with promises of $2,000 payments in exchange for "marrying" MPEagle's alien clients. To make the bogus marriages appear legitimate, the defendants had the "couples" pose together for photos and open joint bank accounts. Based on the sham marriages, MPEagle sought permanent residency for the aliens by filing fraudulent immigrant visa petitions with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint describes how Ajit Bhargava quoted different fees to MPEagle clients depending on the type of visa desired - $15,000 for a work visa, or up to $60,000 for a visa based upon marriage to a U.S. citizen.

"America's immigration system is not for sale and those who think they can game the system for personal gain will find there's a high price to pay," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for ICE HSI in Los Angeles. "Visa fraud is a serious crime. Not only does it undermine the integrity of our legal immigration process and penalize those who abide by the law, it also poses a significant security vulnerability."

The investigation in this case began in September 2009 after officers with the Fraud Detection and National Security Division at the USCIS Field Office in Santa Ana noted suspicious similarities involving 21 visa petitions that were ultimately traced back to MPEagle. In some instances, the applicants used the same marriage certificates, divorce certificates, marriage witnesses or even United States citizen "spouses."

"Our fraud detection officers work collaboratively with ICE HSI to investigate fraudulent conduct that jeopardizes the integrity of our immigration system," said Jane Arellano, District Director for USCIS in Los Angeles. "We are very proud of the work that they do."

A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The three defendants arrested Wednesday morning are expected to make their initial appearance in federal court Wednesday afternoon. The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.

On its website, MPEagle says it offers immigration services related to employment, business and investment needs. In addition to the Cerritos office searched this morning, the website lists contact information for business locations in Georgia, New Jersey and India.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423.

U.S. Dept of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1104/1 ... ntaana.htm

This is what underminds our immigration system never mind the million people who sneek across the southren border every year or those who try to profit off that doesn't undermind the immigration system! This is B.S.!