U.S.
Immigration Dept. arrested 11 (either NRIs or Indians) for H-1B
visa fraud
DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 13, 2009
Gary Singh/Darshan Singh
On Wednesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
agents arrested 11 individuals (all of them are either Indian
or NRIs) in seven states suspected visa and mail fraud.
Those arrested Wednesday by ICE agents include:
- Shiva Neeli, arrested in Boston, Mass.; charged with conspiracy
and mail fraud.
- Ramakrishna Maguluri, arrested in Atlanta, Ga.; charged with
conspiracy and mail fraud.
- Villiappan Subbaiah, arrested in Dallas, Texas; charged with
conspiracy and mail fraud.
- Suresh Pola, arrested in Pennsylvania; charged with conspiracy
and mail fraud.
- Vishnu Reddy, arrested in Los Angeles, Calif.; charged with
conspiracy, mail fraud and wire fraud.
- Chockalingam Palaniappan, arrested in San Jose, Calif.; charged
with conspiracy, mail fraud and wire fraud.
- Vijay Myneni, arrested in San Jose, Calif.; charged with
conspiracy and mail fraud.
- Venkata Guduru, arrested in New Jersey; charged with conspiracy
and mail fraud.
- Praveen Andapally, arrested in New Jersey; charged with conspiracy,
mail fraud, wire fraud, and making false statements in an immigration
matter.
- Amit Justa, arrested in New Jersey; charged with conspiracy
and mail fraud.
- Karambir Yadav, arrested in Louisville, Ky.; charged with
conspiracy and mail fraud.
Matthew G. Whitaker, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District
of Iowa, announced the operation, which was carried out by federal,
state and local law enforcement agencies in Iowa, California,
Massachusetts, Texas, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and New Jersey.
Vision Systems Group Inc., a New Jersey Domestic Profit
Corporation with a branch office in Coon Rapids, Iowa,
was also indicted in a 10-count federal indictment that included
one count of conspiracy, eight counts of mail fraud, and one count
of 'Notice of Forfeiture' in the amount of $7.4 million. Viswa
Mandalapu, is its CEO and President, of Vision Systems Group Inc.
Representatives of the company founded by Viswa Mandalapu could
not be reached for comment immediately.
The maximum sentence for conspiracy is five years in prison and
a $250,000 fine. The maximum sentence for mail fraud is 20 years
in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum sentence for wire fraud
is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum sentence
for making a false statement in an immigration matter is 10 years
in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Federal authorities, with assistance from state and local law
enforcement, served search warrants at addresses in Urbandale
and Clive, Iowa; in Santa Clara, Rancho Cucamonga and Arcadia,
Calif.; and in South Plainfield, N.J.
The investigation is being conducted by ICE in collaboration
with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Fraud Detection
and National Security Division (FDNS); U.S. Department of Labor's
Office of Inspector General; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS);
U.S. Department of State; Social Security Administration's Office
of the Inspector General, and is supported by the U.S. Attorney's
Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
This investigation involves companies that sponsor primarily
H-1B non-immigrants, or temporary workers in specialty occupations
that require a particular expertise. 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 foreign labor certification programs are designed to
permit U.S. employers to hire foreign workers to fill jobs essential
to American businesses," said Daniel R. Petrole, deputy inspector
general, U.S. Department of Labor. "Our agency remains resolute
in its commitment with its law enforcement partners to investigate
fraud committed against these Department of Labor programs."
U.S. businesses use the H-1B program to employ foreign workers
in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical
expertise in specialized fields, such as scientists, engineers,
or computer programmers. The current H-1B cap is set at 65,000
visas per fiscal year. H-1B aliens can work in the United States
for three years, with an option for an additional three years
(for a maximum of six years).
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says, " As
with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation; a defendant
is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Because this
investigation is in its early stages, it would be inappropriate
to provide further details on the case at this time"
Vision Systems Group, Inc..
provides consulting and information technology services. It offers
enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management,
supply chain management, business intelligence, and e-Procurement
services. The company also offers application development, product
development, electronic gaming, and voice-based applications.
Vision Systems Group was founded in 1996 and is headquartered
in South Plainfield, New Jersey.
Key Executives
Mr. Viswa Mandalapu, Chief Executive Officer and President
Mr. Chandra Mandalapu, Senior Vice President of Global IT Infrastructure
Mr. Aveena Gudapati, Senior Vice President of M & A
Mr. Mohammed Wahab,Head of Delivery Operations -India
Mr. Pradeep Engineer , Vice President of Technology
---------------------------
1001, Durham Avenue, Suite 300,South Plainfield, NJ 07080, United
States
Founded in 1996
