Santa Ana, Orange County - Ajt Kumar Bhargava, 61; his wife, Nisha Bhargava, 56; and their daughter, Runjhun Bhargava, 30, were arrested earlier today on immigration fraud charges for allegedly filing bogus marriage and work visa petitions on behalf of aliens which are all serious federal crimes.
A criminal complaint was filed on March 29, 2011 in the United States District Court naming the aforementioned three defendants, all residing in Yorba Linda. The Bhargava defendants operated and owned MPEagle Consultants in Cerritos and were further charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud.
According to documents, the Bhargava defendants recruited unemployed and low-income U.S. citizens with promises of payments in exchange for "marrying" MPEagle's alien clients. To make the bogus marriages appear legitimate, the defendants had the "couples" pose together for photos and open joint back accounts. Based on the sham marriages, MPEagle sought permanent residency for the aliens by filing fraudulent immigrant visa petitions with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The Bhargava defendants face stiff penalties if convicted. Each count of visa fraud could result in 10 years in prison, as well as a hefty fine of up to $250,000. Each count of immigration fraud also could result in 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. For the conspiracy to commit visa charge, they each could face five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The court will likely consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines when determining the official sentence.
An Orange County Federal criminal defense attorney should always handle allegations of fraud or other white-collar criminal allegations.
According to Federal criminal defense lawyer Michael Guisti explains that Federal law criminalizes fraud and misuses of visas and other travel documents. Visa fraud may include selling, providing, or transferring visas, making misrepresentation or false statement in the process of obtaining a visa, or forging or altering of a visa.
There are several federal criminal statutes that may be used in prosecution of visa fraud cases, but the most common statutes are 18 USC 1546 (Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and Other Documents), 18 USC 1001 (False Statements or Entries Generally), and 18 USC 371(Conspiracy to Commit Offense or to Defraud the United States). Many of the recent immigration fraud and visa fraud criminal prosecutions in California have been based on these statutes.
Making a false statement on an Immigration document or application is one example of how one may be charged with visa fraud. The maximum penalty for a first passport and visa offense is 10 years unless the crime is connected to drug trafficking and terrorism.
Visa fraud cases are investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS).
How can an experienced Santa Ana criminal defense attorney help you in defending your fraud charges?
Its simple. We've been in the business for more than 12 years and have successfully kept many clients OUT of jail or prison. We'll show you our track record. We're great at what we do and provide oustanding results. In some cases, we may be able to reduce the charges from a felony to a misdemeanor. Some restrictions and limitations apply.
If you or someone you know is facing a felony or a misdemeanor, hire an experienced, strong and powerful Orange County defense attorney today. We have helped several clients in Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties and we can defend you too. Call our office today to schedule an appointment toll free at (888) 478-8999 or visit our website at www.topcalifornialawyer.com. You'll be glad you did!
