Thread: MI-West Bloomfield psychiatrist guilty of fraud

West Bloomfield psychiatrist guilty of fraud
BY BEN SCHMITT • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • May 18, 2009
Updated at 6:10 p.m.

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A West Bloomfield psychiatrist today pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit naturalization fraud for falsifying diagnoses to help people gain United States citizenship without passing the English-proficiency portions of naturalization exams.

Chilakamarri Ramesh, 54, worked at a Dearborn immigration clinic called Four A’s Hope Global Psychological Evaluation Center, between 1999 and 2001, where he performed psychiatric evaluations on naturalization applicants, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit.

Ramesh then falsely diagnosed applicants with mental retardation, post-traumatic stress disorder, learning disabilities and dementia, federal authorities said.

He also conducted evaluations and signed naturalization waivers for immigrants in other cities like Cleveland, St. Louis and Chicago.

According to the indictment, Ramesh signed 953 false and fraudulent naturalization waiver forms for 492 citizenship applicants in Dearborn, Cleveland, St. Louis, and Chicago.

Ramesh, as part of his plea, told U.S. District Judge Abel Cook Jr. that he conspired with another doctor, Walid Salah, who has been a fugitive since 2003.

“We must be vigilant to prevent fraud in connection with citizenship applications,â€

According to the indictment, Ramesh signed 953 false and fraudulent naturalization waiver forms for 492 citizenship applicants in Dearborn, Cleveland, St. Louis, and Chicago.

If they aren't eligible to be here, SEND THEM BACK!