More Enterprising Immigrants [Joe Guzzardi] - 11/20/04On November 16, the Los Angeles Daily News reported (Valley Four Accused of Visa Fraud, by Troy Anderson) that four prominent Iranians—three business people and one attorney—were arrested on charges of filing bogus employment visa applications on behalf of hundreds of Iranian nationals. The defendants were paid from $8,000 to $30,000 per visa for their services. One man received a visa to come to the U.S. to work in a pizza parlor even though he acknowledged that he had never worked in a restaurant and knew nothing about the food service industry. According to U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, only 13% of those who received visas actually went to work for the petitioning employers. I.C.E. described the scam as one of the largest ever in Southern California. |
