Sep 24, 2009 10:58 am US/Central
Attorney Admits To Falsifying Immigration Papers
Beth Ann Broyles' Actions Let More Than 1,000 Illegal Workers Into U.S.CHICAGO (STNG) ―


A Chicago-based immigration attorney faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to preparing fraudulent immigration petitions which allowed a company to bring more than 1,000 illegal workers into the country.

Beth Ann Broyles, 30, of Evanston pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in Norfolk, Va., to conspiracy involving visa fraud and inducing aliens to the United States illegally, according to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement release. She is scheduled for sentencing Dec. 14.

According to court documents, Broyles, an immigration attorney based in Chicago, served as immigration counsel for the Viktar Krus organization in Virginia Beach, Va. Krus was recently sentenced to 87 months in prison after being convicted on conspiracy, visa fraud and tax evasion charges.

Broyles prepared fraudulent immigration petitions which she submitted to the Dept. of Labor and Dept. of Homeland Security. Once approved, the petitions allowed Krus' organization to recruit and bring about 1,000 alien workers into the country illegally on H2B visas, which allow workers to stay in the U.S. for up to nine months, the release said.

The majority of the aliens were from eastern European countries and Jamiaca.

As a result of having access to the pool of illegal workers, the Krus organization was able to generate more than $35 million in gross income from 2003 to 2009, the release said.

Broyles faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, full restitution, a special assessment and three years of supervised release, according to ICE.

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/attorney.i ... 05558.html