Tuesday, Jul. 29, 2008
6 charged with asylum fraud in Philadelphia
- The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA — Federal authorities in Philadelphia have charged a native of Russia with helping 380 asylum seekers file bogus applications over a four-year period.

David Lynn, who is 33 and lives in the Philadelphia suburbs, is charged with conspiracy and fraud. Five others, all Russian-born, are also named in the indictment announced Tuesday.

Prosecutors say the group made $3 million coaching asylum seekers on how to plead their cases to immigration officials. Authorities say the group told the applicants to fraudulently claim persecution based on religion or sexual orientation.

The asylum seekers were mostly from Russia and Eastern Europe. Only a handful of the 380 successfully obtained asylum.

http://www.centredaily.com/news/state/story/742150.html