The man accused of coaching immigrants on how to make phony asylum claims pleaded guilty to fraud and other charges and agreed to forfeit $1.7 million.
David Lynn, led a ring that prepared 380 asylum applications between 2003 and 2007, charging $8,000 for individuals and $12,000 for couples, prosecutors said.
Lynn, 32, pleaded guilty Monday to one count each of conspiracy, visa asylum fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to launder money.
Sentencing was set for Jan. 13, and he faces more than seven years in prison.
He claimed to be a lawyer or to have special knowledge of the asylum procedures, court records indicated.
He and co-workers coached applicants to lie, saying they were being persecuted in their homeland because of religious or political beliefs.
Most of the asylum seekers were from Russia, but prosecutors said some were from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine.
A few were granted asylum, but most were in the United States illegally and had to leave the country.
No comments:
Post a Comment