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$105K fine ordered in immigration scam case
The Business Review (Albany) - 2:02 PM EDT Tuesday
A Greene County woman has been fined $105,000 and ordered to pay restitution of $198,000 to what state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said were the victims of her immigration scam.

State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Dolan issued the judgment against Christine Owad, of Windham. Late last year, Dolan issued a restraining order that prohibited Owad from continuing to act as an agent for immigrants who were seeking their green cards.

Spitzer said while she offered mainly Irish natives in New York City or the Hudson Valley to expedite their green cards with the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Owad did not deliver on her promises. She also misrepresented herself by saying she was a paralegal who had extensive experience working on immigration cases.

The attorney general said his office has identified at least 55 victims of the scam who typically paid Owad between $2,000 and $4,000 for her help.

Under Dolan's order, which was announced Tuesday by Spitzer's office, victims can file additional claims through Dec. 15, 2006. Spitzer's office said it believes more than 100 people were scammed by Owad.

"Hopefully, this ruling, which provides restitution and a measure of justice, will help restore a belief in the American dream to those immigrants who were scammed," Spitzer said in a statement released by his office.

There was no telephone listing for Owad in Greene County.