Pa. man pleads guilty to defrauding asylum seekers

10/07/2008 05:17:15 AM EDT


PHILADELPHIA—A Philadelphia-area man accused of coaching asylum seekers on how to lie to immigration officials has pleaded guilty to asylum fraud, money laundering and other charges and agreed to forfeit $1.7 million acquired through the scam.
Federal prosecutors say 32-year-old David Lynn led a ring that prepared 380 fake asylum applications, charging $8,000 for individuals and $12,000 for couples. Most of the asylum seekers were from Russia, but prosecutors said some were from the Czech Republic, Solvakia, Poland and Ukraine. Most have had to leave the country.

Police say they found $562,000 in a safe under the floor of Lynn's house, as well as cash in three safe deposit boxes and a Swiss bank account.

Lynn is scheduled for sentencing Jan. 13, facing more than seven years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines.


http://www.eveningsun.com/ci_10658022