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Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Indian National in West Virginia pleads guilty to marriage fraud and identity theft
A 29-year-old Indian national unlawfully living in West Virginia has pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft in connection with a marriage fraud scheme aimed at bypassing US immigration laws , according to a report by US Citizenship and Immigration Services . According to a statement from the US Attorney's Office, Aakash Prakash Makwana admitted to entering into a fraudulent marriage with a US citizen in exchange for $10,000, with the intention of obtaining lawful permanent resident status. The investigation received support from US Citizenship and Immigration Services ( USCIS ). Court records show that Makwana entered the United States on a J-1 non-immigrant visa on November 23, 2019. He acknowledged in court that his visa expired on November 24, 2020, and that he remained in the country without legal status after that date. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like At 82, she dances, dresses as she wishes and dismisses her 'old-fashioned' critics CNA Read More Undo In August 2021, Makwana began conspiring with others to arrange a marriage for immigration purposes. He married a US citizen on September 3, 2021, while living in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and working without legal authorization. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) As part of the scheme, Makwana falsified a lease agreement to show that he and the US citizen lived together. He also added the individual's name to utility bills and bank accounts. Makwana admitted to using the property manager's name and signature on the lease without permission, which led to the charge of aggravated identity theft. Live Events RECOMMENDED STORIES FOR YOU Indian student goes missing in Canada days after arriving the country Trump's USCIS nominee targets OPT, raising alarms among Indian students in US When the fraudulent marriage did not result in legal status, Makwana submitted a Form I-360 to USCIS, falsely claiming he was a victim of domestic abuse. He admitted that he filed the petition to remain in the country while the application was reviewed and to improve his chances of receiving a Green Card. Makwana is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2025. He faces prison time, financial penalties, and possible removal from the United States.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Indian-origin man pleads guilty to marriage fraud in West Virginia; he claimed domestic violence to get green card
Indian man, Akaash Prakash Makwana, admits to marriage fraud in West Virginia, US. 29-year-old Aakash Prakash Makwana, an Indian citizen, has pleaded guilty to a marriage fraud which also involved identity theft -- as part of a scheme to evade US immigration laws. US Justice Department said Makwana arrived in the US on a J-1 nonimmigrant visa to work in hotel hospitality and culinary services. This visa is valid for one year and so he conspired with others to marry a US citizen to remain in the US. Makwana arrived in the US in 2019 and continued to stay even though his visa expired in 2020. In 2021, he married a US citizen for $10,000 so that he could apply for a Green card. But in doing so, he falsified a residential lease agreement to make it appear that he and the US citizen whom he married lived together and also added the US citizen's name to his bank accounts and utility bills. Makwana admitted that he committed identity theft when he included the name and signature of the residential property's manager on a false lease agreement. When this marriage scheme failed, Makwala filed a Form I-360 with the USCIS claiming that he suffered domestic violence and emotional abuse at the hands of his US citizen partner. He has now admitted that he filed the petition to continue to stay in the US while his claimed were being considered. Kalee Ann Huff, a 28-year-old US citizen, also pleaded guilty to this marriage fraud. Huff's brother-in-law Joseph Sanchez was part of the conspiracy and he also pleaded guilty. 'This case reflects another unacceptable attempt to undermine our nation's immigration laws, and the commitment of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to enforce those laws to uphold public safety, national security, and the rule of law in our country,' said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G Johnston.
