Multi-year scheme: Armenian pleads guilty to US visa fraud

An Armenian from Glendale (California) pleaded guilty to fraud with US visas for Armenian citizens in order to make a profit. This is stated in a statement on the site. US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Фото: Depositphotos

32-year-old Hrachya Atoyan pleaded guilty to US Judge Sanket Bulsara in the Eastern District of New York. The sentencing is scheduled for February 20 2020 year. According to the indictment, Atoyan participated in a transnational network that operated under the widespread visa fraud scheme for Armenian citizens to enter the United States. The network assured the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that the Armenians were members of it and, therefore, were eligible for a P-3 “Unique Art Worker” visa.

“The use of the P-3 nonimmigrant visa classification system for unique artists creates problems for the legitimate performers for whom this visa is intended,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. “We will work hand in hand with our law enforcement agencies to rid the system of scammers like Atoyan and his associates who seek to exploit and profit from our immigration system.”

“Atoyan’s guilty plea reveals an elaborate visa fraud scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Richard Donohue.

On the subject: 7 Ways to Protect Your Financial Information from Scammers

“The complex scheme developed in this case shows the lengths criminals will go to defraud our already generous immigration system,” said Acting Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Ken Cuccinelli. “This criminal conspiracy was uncovered thanks to the diligent work of USCIS Fraud Investigation and Homeland Security officers and our valued law enforcement partners.” Thank you for bringing these criminals to justice.”

P-3 non-immigrant visas allow foreign nationals to temporarily come to the United States to perform, study as artists. A US employer or sponsor must submit a USCIS I-129 petition for a non-immigrant worker along with documentation confirming that performances in the United States are unique.

In February 2018, Stella Boyajian, Atoyan, and Diana Grigoryan were indicted on 15 counts of visa fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States, commit visa fraud, and smuggle aliens into the United States. Boyajian and Grigoryan were also charged with money laundering. money, and Boyajian - aggravated theft. Boyajian previously pleaded guilty on March 4, 2019.

On the subject: Credit Card Fraud: Xnumx Ways to Cheat

According to the indictment, Boyajyan led the non-profit organization Big Apple Music Awards Foundation (BAMA), based in New York. Boyajyan used the Big Apple Music Awards Foundation, as well as formal and informal contacts between the music industry in the United States and Armenia, to carry out this scheme. Atoyan, Boyajyan and others found Armenian citizens who wanted to come to the United States and charged them from 3000 to 10000 dollars for inclusion in the I-129 form.

Then Boyajyan and other partners in Armenia acquired fraudulent certificates of performers and organized staged photo sessions in which foreigners wore traditional Armenian folk costumes to look as if they were traditional Armenian performers. After learning how to get a visa interview in the United States, some foreigners submitted these certificates and photographs to US consular officers during a visa interview.

As soon as the Armenians entered the United States, some of them paid Boyajyan and her employees extra money, which was included in another fraudulent scheme for the extension of the P-3 visa. As stated in the indictment, Atoyan himself came to the United States on a P-3 visa, with the help of BAMA.

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• At the beginning of 2018 year three Armenians indicted for participating in multi-year fraud scheme with visas in New York, as a result of which the citizens of Armenia illegally came to the USA.

Read also on ForumDaily:

The most common mistakes made by participants in the green card lottery

20 Highly Paid Professions That Don't Need Higher Education

Money down the drain: 7 meaningless waste that you make every day

You will definitely be surprised: 15 interesting and little-known facts about the United States

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.