Immigration Fraud – Fake Marriage Scam

An Orange County family was charged Wednesday April 6, 2011 in connection with 20 fake marriages meant to keep illegal immigrants in the country.

Federal authorities arrested Ajit Bhargava, 56, his wife Nisha Bhargava, 56, and their daughter Runjhun Bhargava, 30 at their home in Yorba Linda for conspiracy to commit visa fraud, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials said Wednesday.

The family ran immigration services through the Cerritos-based consulting firm based MPEagle Consultants that provided primarily to Indian nationals who sought marriage certificates and work visas.

Federal authorities said they launched their investigation in September 2009 after they noticed suspicious similarities among the business' visa applications. In some cases, the same "spouses" and marriage witnesses were used, according to authorities. They also staged photographs in public places to make believe a relationship.

They reportedly charged as much as $60,000 per marriage.

Immigration officers became suspicious of the Bhargava's when they noticed a pattern among 21 files.

The allegations state that the family recruited unemployed and low-income Americans, including some who were homeless and drug addicts, and paid them $2,000. According to court papers, some claimed they weren't paid.

Nisha and Runjhun have pleaded not guilty. Ajit is expected to appear in court on Thursday April 7, 2011.

Visa Fraud is a very serious crime. If convicted, the charge of  conspiracy to commit  visa fraud carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison. Also, any individual who knowingly enters into a marriage for the purpose of evading any provision of the immigration laws shall be imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or fined not more than $250,000, or both.

If you are facing federal immigration fraud charges a trained and skilled attorney is key to the success of your case.

The criminal defense attorneys at the Hedding Law Firm have a combined 75 years of experience and are committed to getting the best possible outcome for their clients.  Contact our office today to set up a free face-to-face consultation.