H1B visa scam, fraud consultants arrestedH1B Visa Scam and Fraud in USA lead to arrest of 11 fraud consultants all of Indians origin by US Federal Govt. in seven states and indicted IT services firm Vision Systems Group founded by an Indian American.
The arrests were carried out Feb. 11 by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in Iowa, California, Massachusetts, Texas, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and New Jersey.The arrested people had filed false documents in support of their H-1B visa petitions for Indian and Pakistani computer engineers and programmers.The government is seeking the forfeiture of $7.4 million from Vision Systems Group Inc., based in New Jersey with an office in Coon Rapids while warning that other IT companies are under investigation.The company was indicted on 10 counts, including conspiracy and mail fraud charges. According to leading source, five other IT companies, including Worldwide Software Services and Sana Systems, are under federal watch for document fraud.According to the press release:The companies that are the subject of this investigation have asserted that the foreign workers have been brought to the U.S. to fill existing vacancies. However, the companies allegedly have not always had jobs available for these workers, thereby placing them in non-pay status after they arrive in the United States. In some cases, the foreign workers have allegedly been placed in jobs and locations not previously certified by the Department of Labor, displacing qualified American workers and violating prevailing wage laws. The companies and foreign workers have allegedly submitted false statements and documents in support of their visa petitions. The false statements and documents were mailed or wired to state and federal agencies in support of the visa applications. The companies are suspected of visa fraud, mail fraud , wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracy.
The H1B program is a favorite among the technology companies in USA,but equally controversial among the policy makers in the federal government.This temporary work visa program allows technology mainly Software and IT companies and Universities to employ foreign guest workers who have the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree and H1Bs are only to fill positions that can't be filled domestically.The Silicon Valley has repeatedly urged Congress to raise the H-1B cap, which is currently set at 65,000 visas per fiscal year.The visa limit was reduced from 1,95,000 to 65,000 two years ago.