Two Indian-origin men have pleaded guilty to orchestrating an elaborate H-1B visa fraud scheme in California, where they created fake job positions at the University of California and deceived both foreign workers and immigration authorities between June 2020 and January 2023.
Sampath Rajidi, 51, and Sreedhar Mada, 51, admitted to conspiracy charges for submitting fraudulent H-1B visa petitions promising non-existent positions at the University of California, then transferring the approved visas to other clients for profit.
How the H-1B Visa Fraud Scheme Operated
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Duration | June 2020 to January 2023 |
| Key Players | Sampath Rajidi and Sreedhar Mada |
| Method | Fake UC job positions |
| Maximum Penalty | 5 years prison + ₹2.07 crore fine each |
Rajidi operated two visa servicing companies - S-Team Software Inc. and Uptrend Technologies LLC - while Mada leveraged his position as Chief Information Officer of the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. Mada’s inside access and supervisory authority at the university enabled the fraud, though he lacked authorization to hire H-1B workers for his department.
The scheme involved Mada lending his name and university position to H-1B petitions, convincing USCIS that the university was legitimately hiring foreign workers. After petition approvals, the duo redirected these H-1B visas to Rajidi’s other clients rather than placing workers in the promised university positions.
Impact on H-1B Visa System
Court documents revealed that both men knew the positions listed in their petitions did not exist. They deliberately submitted false information material to USCIS decision-making processes for visa approvals.
“As a result of their conspiracy, Rajidi and Mada gained an unfair advantage over other firms and depleted the pool of H-1B visas available to competing firms,” stated the court documents.
For Indian professionals seeking legitimate H-1B opportunities, this case highlights the importance of working with verified employers and understanding proper petition processes. Our US Visa Guide provides comprehensive information about legitimate H-1B pathways, while the Visa Probability Predictor can help assess genuine application prospects.
Penalties and Broader Crackdown
Both defendants face maximum statutory penalties of five years imprisonment and fines of ₹2.07 crore ($250,000) each. The case represents part of a broader administrative crackdown on H-1B visa abuse, which authorities describe as involving complex, multi-level fraud operations.
The investigation revealed various fraud models within the H-1B system. Some staffing companies extract money directly from H-1B beneficiaries, while others take regular payment cuts from workers’ salaries. Additional schemes operate on false promises where beneficiaries never receive the jobs they were promised.
This case demonstrates how H-1B fraud can involve both deception of immigration authorities and exploitation of foreign workers seeking legitimate employment opportunities in the United States. The University of California had no actual job requirements for the positions listed in the fraudulent petitions.
FAQ
Q: What penalties do the men face for H-1B visa fraud? A: Both defendants face a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of ₹2.07 crore ($250,000) each.
Q: How did they use the University of California in their fraud? A: Mada used his position as Chief Information Officer to make USCIS believe they were legitimately hiring for the university, while no such positions existed.
Q: When did this H-1B fraud scheme operate? A: The fraud scheme ran from June 2020 to January 2023, during which they submitted multiple false H-1B petitions.
Q: How does this affect legitimate H-1B applicants? A: The scheme depleted the pool of available H-1B visas and gave these companies an unfair advantage over legitimate firms following proper procedures.
Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), United States