Immigration official, wife indicted in visa scheme

By CHRISTIAN BOONE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/14/08

A U.S. immigration official and his wife have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Atlanta, accused of taking bribes in exchange for visas supplied to illegal immigrants.

Hasmukh C. Patel, a business interface representative for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, allegedly secured a worker visa on behalf of a foreign national he said would be employed by him and his wife, Nitigna.

The Patels, who live in McDonough, also are also charged with "encouraging and inducing" four other undocumented immigrants to enter the U.S.

The indictment was handed up Tuesday, and federal agents arrested Hasmukh Patel, 52, on Wednesday. The man entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment and was granted bond by a U.S. magistrate judge. Nitigna Patel, 46, was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.

Money was the motive, prosecutors said.

"Any alleged misconduct by someone in his position that betrays this trust or undermines our immigration laws will not be tolerated, but instead will be aggressively investigated," said Wayne H. Salzgaber, a special agent with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

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