CALIFORNIA— Two Indian-origin men have pleaded guilty in a United States federal court for orchestrating a multi-year H-1B visa fraud scheme that exploited the country’s skilled worker immigration system. The case, centered in California, highlights growing scrutiny of visa abuse as authorities intensify enforcement actions.
The defendants, identified as Sampath Rajidi, 51, and Sreedhar Mada, 51, admitted to conspiring to submit fraudulent H-1B petitions between June 2020 and January 2023. Prosecutors said the pair falsely claimed to recruit workers for positions at the University of California, despite no such roles existing within the institution.
H-1B Visa Fraud Case
According to court filings, Rajidi operated two visa consulting firms, S-Team Software Inc. and Uptrend Technologies LLC, which served as vehicles for the fraudulent applications.
Mada, who held a senior administrative role within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources system, used his position to lend credibility to the petitions.
Authorities stated that Mada’s access to internal structures and his supervisory authority enabled the scheme to appear legitimate. However, he lacked the authorization to hire H-1B workers independently, making the filings deceptive from the outset.
Investigators confirmed that both men knowingly submitted false employment details to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The petitions claimed job openings that did not exist, misleading authorities into approving visas under false pretenses.
Modus Operandi
Once the H-1B visas were approved, the defendants redirected them to unrelated third-party clients. This practice allowed other individuals or companies to benefit from visas that were secured through fraudulent claims.
Court documents revealed that the accused exploited systemic loopholes and the demand for H-1B visas. By doing so, they gained an unfair competitive advantage over legitimate employers seeking skilled foreign workers through proper channels.
The scheme also impacted the broader visa ecosystem by reducing the availability of H-1B slots. Officials noted that such actions distort the allocation process, which is already highly competitive and capped annually.
Legal Consequences
Both Rajidi and Mada now face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison, along with fines of up to $250,000 each, the Times of India flagged.
Sentencing will depend on multiple factors, including the scale of the fraud and financial gains derived from the operation.
The case forms part of a wider federal crackdown on H-1B visa misuse. Authorities have increasingly targeted fraudulent staffing firms and intermediaries that exploit foreign workers or manipulate the system for profit.
Officials emphasized that some schemes involve charging applicants large sums or deducting ongoing fees from their salaries.
Others rely on false job promises, leaving beneficiaries without legitimate employment upon arrival in the United States.
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