An Indian-American couple has been convicted on charges of H-1B visa fraud and will face up to 30 years imprisonment according to the US Department of Justice.
Raju Kosuri, 44, and his wife Smriti Jharia, 45, of Ashburn, along with four co-conspirators fraudulently applied for more than 800 illegal immigration benefits under the H-1B visa program.
The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa in the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act which allows US employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations.
The indictment alleged that Kosuri set up a network of shell companies that he presents to immigration authorities as independent businesses in need of Indian workers, but which he actually owned and controlled. These entities were used to file petitions for non-existent job vacancies at Kosuri’s data centre.
Over $20 Million Generated Through Visa Scam
The visa fraud scheme involved the forgery of numerous individuals’ signatures on visa petitions and exhibits without their knowledge.
According to the Justice Department, the indictment alleged that Kosuri has generated gross proceeds of at least $20 million over the life of the scheme.
The indictment also alleged that Kosuri and Jharia conspired with a consultant named Raimondo Piluso to defraud the Small Business Administration, by submitting fraudulent HUBZone applications.
Kosuri, Jharia, and Piluso are alleged to have concealed the true location, ownership, and employees of a business called EcomNets Federal Solutions to generate $150,000 in loan proceeds and contract awards.
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