{"id":140302,"date":"2026-04-22T03:06:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T21:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=140302"},"modified":"2026-04-21T23:35:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T18:05:46","slug":"indian-origin-duo-pleads-guilty-in-major-h-1b-visa-fraud-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/22\/indian-origin-duo-pleads-guilty-in-major-h-1b-visa-fraud-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Indian-Origin Duo Pleads Guilty in Major H-1B Visa Fraud Case"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

CALIFORNIA\u2014 <\/strong>Two Indian-origin men have pleaded guilty in a United States federal court for orchestrating a multi-year H-1B visa<\/a> fraud scheme that exploited the country\u2019s skilled worker immigration system. The case, centered in California, highlights growing scrutiny of visa abuse as authorities intensify enforcement actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Indian-Origin
Photo- VFS Global<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

H-1B Visa Fraud Case<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities stated that Mada\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Investigators confirmed that both men knowingly submitted false employment details to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The petitions claimed job openings that did not exist, misleading authorities into approving visas under false pretenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Vikassinghhhh , Wikimedia\nhttps:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Indian_Passport_Type.png<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Modus Operandi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo- Visa Guide<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n