Visa scheme charged
Apr 22nd 2003, 10:58 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Visa scheme charged
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$6-10K for a visa to the US - and then it doesn't even include =
working papers! Maybe this makes the wait a bit easier for some ...
http://www.freep.com/news/locway/ins22_20030422.htm
Visa scheme charged=20
Federal worker and 2 others indicted in Detroit=20
April 22, 2003=20
BY TAMARA AUDI
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER=20
The offer was nothing less than a guaranteed ticket to America.=20
There would be no months spent waiting for paperwork, no haggling =
with immigration officials, no lines at the embassy, no phony documents. =
Just an open door to the land of plenty.=20
At least 130 Arab immigrants jumped at the offer, paying thousands =
of dollars into a visa scheme allegedly orchestrated by one of the =
government's own -- an immigration employee working in Detroit.=20
That employee stood in U.S. District Court in Detroit on Monday, =
barely 5 feet tall, gray-haired and still in her federal immigration =
uniform, meekly telling a U.S. magistrate that she understood the =
charges against her.=20
Janice Halstead, 59, of Detroit was indicted and arrested on =
charges of immigrant-smuggling, conspiracy and bribery. If convicted, =
she could be sentenced to 22 years in prison.=20
Two federal grand jury indictments unsealed Monday laid out an =
elaborate plan that stretched from Dearborn to Yemen to Lebanon, and =
involved at least two other people: Zoha Madarani, who runs a private =
immigration consulting service in Dearborn, and Salah Al-Solihi of =
Detroit.=20
Madarani was charged with conspiracy and immigrant smuggling; =
Al-Solihi was charged with attempted smuggling and conspiracy. Both =
could get a maximum sentence of 20 years.=20
Halstead supplied travel documents and Madarani and Al-Solihi =
delivered them to would-be immigrants, according to the indictments, the =
three splitting thousands of dollars, furniture and jewelry.=20
Some immigrants said they paid from $6,000 to $10,000 for one =
document. Halstead supplied documents allowing immigrants to enter the =
country without proper background checks or applications, federal =
officials said.=20
U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins said there was no information to =
suggest any of the immigrants posed a danger to the United States.=20
Federal agents arrested Halstead Monday morning at her Detroit =
office, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services at Mt. =
Elliott and East Jefferson. She has been an immigration officer for =
nearly six years.=20
"I was shocked," Halstead said after her court appearance, =
refusing to comment further.=20
She did not make a plea because her lawyer was out of the state. =
U.S. Magistrate Thomas Carlson released her on $10,000 personal bond and =
delayed her arraignment to Wednesday.=20
Al-Solihi, who was already detained on a separate criminal charge =
out of New York, entered a plea of not guilty and remained in federal =
custody. Madarani, who owns and operates Multi-Cultural Services in =
Dearborn, made arrangements to appear in court voluntarily next week.=20
Madarani's sister-in-law, Lody Madarani, said that Zoha Madarani =
was in Mexico on vacation with her husband and children.=20
"I don't believe she's doing anything wrong," Lody Madarani said. =
"She likes to help people."=20
But the immigrant community in Dearborn has been buzzing with =
complaints about Zoha Madarani for years, bristling at the new office =
she built and angry that it took the government so long to catch her.=20
Immigrants who bought visas through her couldn't get work papers =
or apply for citizenship because they didn't have any of the backup =
documents required.=20
"Once they got here, they were stuck," said Faye Awada, who runs =
another private immigration service in Dearborn. "I told them the best =
thing to do was to hire a lawyer, go to the government and be honest."=20
A few did, and investigators began to build a case against =
Madarani and Halstead in the last year, Collins said.=20
But many may be deported or face criminal charges. On Monday, =
agents fanned out across the state in search of immigrants who bought =
into an offer too good to be true.=20
Contact TAMARA AUDI at 313-222-6582 or [email protected].=20
=20
=20
=20
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charset="iso-8859-1"
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$6-10K for a visa to the US - and =
then it=20
doesn't even include working papers! Maybe this makes the wait a =
bit=20
easier for some ...
Â
http://www.f=
reep.com/news/locway/ins22_20030422.htm
Visa scheme charged=20
Federal =
worker and=20
2 others indicted in Detroit
April 22, 2003=20
BY TAMARA=20
AUDIFREE =
PRESS=20
STAFF WRITER
The offer was nothing less than a =
guaranteed=20
ticket to America.
There would be no months spent =
waiting for=20
paperwork, no haggling with immigration officials, no lines at the =
embassy, no phony documents. Just an open door to the land of =
plenty.=20
At least 130 Arab immigrants jumped =
at the=20
offer, paying thousands of dollars into a visa scheme allegedly=20
orchestrated by one of the government's own -- an immigration =
employee=20
working in Detroit.
That employee stood in U.S. =
District Court in=20
Detroit on Monday, barely 5 feet tall, gray-haired and still in =
her=20
federal immigration uniform, meekly telling a U.S. magistrate that =
she=20
understood the charges against her.
Janice Halstead, 59, of Detroit was =
indicted=20
and arrested on charges of immigrant-smuggling, conspiracy and =
bribery. If=20
convicted, she could be sentenced to 22 years in prison.
Two federal grand jury indictments =
unsealed=20
Monday laid out an elaborate plan that stretched from Dearborn to =
Yemen to=20
Lebanon, and involved at least two other people: Zoha Madarani, =
who runs a=20
private immigration consulting service in Dearborn, and Salah =
Al-Solihi of=20
Detroit.
Madarani was charged with =
conspiracy and=20
immigrant smuggling; Al-Solihi was charged with attempted =
smuggling and=20
conspiracy. Both could get a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Halstead supplied travel documents =
and Madarani=20
and Al-Solihi delivered them to would-be immigrants, according to =
the=20
indictments, the three splitting thousands of dollars, furniture =
and=20
jewelry.
Some immigrants said they paid from =
$6,000 to=20
$10,000 for one document. Halstead supplied documents allowing =
immigrants=20
to enter the country without proper background checks or =
applications,=20
federal officials said.
U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins said =
there was no=20
information to suggest any of the immigrants posed a danger to the =
United=20
States.
Federal agents arrested Halstead =
Monday morning=20
at her Detroit office, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration =
Services=20
at Mt. Elliott and East Jefferson. She has been an immigration =
officer for=20
nearly six years.
"I was shocked," Halstead said =
after her court=20
appearance, refusing to comment further.
She did not make a plea because her =
lawyer was=20
out of the state. U.S. Magistrate Thomas Carlson released her on =
$10,000=20
personal bond and delayed her arraignment to Wednesday.
Al-Solihi, who was already detained =
on a=20
separate criminal charge out of New York, entered a plea of not =
guilty and=20
remained in federal custody. Madarani, who owns and operates=20
Multi-Cultural Services in Dearborn, made arrangements to appear =
in court=20
voluntarily next week.
Madarani's sister-in-law, Lody =
Madarani, said=20
that Zoha Madarani was in Mexico on vacation with her husband and=20
children.
"I don't believe she's doing =
anything wrong,"=20
Lody Madarani said. "She likes to help people."
But the immigrant community in =
Dearborn has=20
been buzzing with complaints about Zoha Madarani for years, =
bristling at=20
the new office she built and angry that it took the government so =
long to=20
catch her.
Immigrants who bought visas through =
her=20
couldn't get work papers or apply for citizenship because they =
didn't have=20
any of the backup documents required.
"Once they got here, they were =
stuck," said=20
Faye Awada, who runs another private immigration service in =
Dearborn. "I=20
told them the best thing to do was to hire a lawyer, go to the =
government=20
and be honest."
A few did, and investigators began =
to build a=20
case against Madarani and Halstead in the last year, Collins said. =
But many may be deported or face =
criminal=20
charges. On Monday, agents fanned out across the state in search =
of=20
immigrants who bought into an offer too good to be true.
Contact TAMARA AUDI =
at=20
313-222-6582 or [email protected].
Â
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$6-10K for a visa to the US - and then it doesn't even include =
working papers! Maybe this makes the wait a bit easier for some ...
http://www.freep.com/news/locway/ins22_20030422.htm
Visa scheme charged=20
Federal worker and 2 others indicted in Detroit=20
April 22, 2003=20
BY TAMARA AUDI
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER=20
The offer was nothing less than a guaranteed ticket to America.=20
There would be no months spent waiting for paperwork, no haggling =
with immigration officials, no lines at the embassy, no phony documents. =
Just an open door to the land of plenty.=20
At least 130 Arab immigrants jumped at the offer, paying thousands =
of dollars into a visa scheme allegedly orchestrated by one of the =
government's own -- an immigration employee working in Detroit.=20
That employee stood in U.S. District Court in Detroit on Monday, =
barely 5 feet tall, gray-haired and still in her federal immigration =
uniform, meekly telling a U.S. magistrate that she understood the =
charges against her.=20
Janice Halstead, 59, of Detroit was indicted and arrested on =
charges of immigrant-smuggling, conspiracy and bribery. If convicted, =
she could be sentenced to 22 years in prison.=20
Two federal grand jury indictments unsealed Monday laid out an =
elaborate plan that stretched from Dearborn to Yemen to Lebanon, and =
involved at least two other people: Zoha Madarani, who runs a private =
immigration consulting service in Dearborn, and Salah Al-Solihi of =
Detroit.=20
Madarani was charged with conspiracy and immigrant smuggling; =
Al-Solihi was charged with attempted smuggling and conspiracy. Both =
could get a maximum sentence of 20 years.=20
Halstead supplied travel documents and Madarani and Al-Solihi =
delivered them to would-be immigrants, according to the indictments, the =
three splitting thousands of dollars, furniture and jewelry.=20
Some immigrants said they paid from $6,000 to $10,000 for one =
document. Halstead supplied documents allowing immigrants to enter the =
country without proper background checks or applications, federal =
officials said.=20
U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins said there was no information to =
suggest any of the immigrants posed a danger to the United States.=20
Federal agents arrested Halstead Monday morning at her Detroit =
office, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services at Mt. =
Elliott and East Jefferson. She has been an immigration officer for =
nearly six years.=20
"I was shocked," Halstead said after her court appearance, =
refusing to comment further.=20
She did not make a plea because her lawyer was out of the state. =
U.S. Magistrate Thomas Carlson released her on $10,000 personal bond and =
delayed her arraignment to Wednesday.=20
Al-Solihi, who was already detained on a separate criminal charge =
out of New York, entered a plea of not guilty and remained in federal =
custody. Madarani, who owns and operates Multi-Cultural Services in =
Dearborn, made arrangements to appear in court voluntarily next week.=20
Madarani's sister-in-law, Lody Madarani, said that Zoha Madarani =
was in Mexico on vacation with her husband and children.=20
"I don't believe she's doing anything wrong," Lody Madarani said. =
"She likes to help people."=20
But the immigrant community in Dearborn has been buzzing with =
complaints about Zoha Madarani for years, bristling at the new office =
she built and angry that it took the government so long to catch her.=20
Immigrants who bought visas through her couldn't get work papers =
or apply for citizenship because they didn't have any of the backup =
documents required.=20
"Once they got here, they were stuck," said Faye Awada, who runs =
another private immigration service in Dearborn. "I told them the best =
thing to do was to hire a lawyer, go to the government and be honest."=20
A few did, and investigators began to build a case against =
Madarani and Halstead in the last year, Collins said.=20
But many may be deported or face criminal charges. On Monday, =
agents fanned out across the state in search of immigrants who bought =
into an offer too good to be true.=20
Contact TAMARA AUDI at 313-222-6582 or [email protected].=20
=20
=20
=20
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Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
$6-10K for a visa to the US - and =
then it=20
doesn't even include working papers! Maybe this makes the wait a =
bit=20
easier for some ...
Â
http://www.f=
reep.com/news/locway/ins22_20030422.htm
Visa scheme charged=20
Federal =
worker and=20
2 others indicted in Detroit
April 22, 2003=20
BY TAMARA=20
AUDIFREE =
PRESS=20
STAFF WRITER
The offer was nothing less than a =
guaranteed=20
ticket to America.
There would be no months spent =
waiting for=20
paperwork, no haggling with immigration officials, no lines at the =
embassy, no phony documents. Just an open door to the land of =
plenty.=20
At least 130 Arab immigrants jumped =
at the=20
offer, paying thousands of dollars into a visa scheme allegedly=20
orchestrated by one of the government's own -- an immigration =
employee=20
working in Detroit.
That employee stood in U.S. =
District Court in=20
Detroit on Monday, barely 5 feet tall, gray-haired and still in =
her=20
federal immigration uniform, meekly telling a U.S. magistrate that =
she=20
understood the charges against her.
Janice Halstead, 59, of Detroit was =
indicted=20
and arrested on charges of immigrant-smuggling, conspiracy and =
bribery. If=20
convicted, she could be sentenced to 22 years in prison.
Two federal grand jury indictments =
unsealed=20
Monday laid out an elaborate plan that stretched from Dearborn to =
Yemen to=20
Lebanon, and involved at least two other people: Zoha Madarani, =
who runs a=20
private immigration consulting service in Dearborn, and Salah =
Al-Solihi of=20
Detroit.
Madarani was charged with =
conspiracy and=20
immigrant smuggling; Al-Solihi was charged with attempted =
smuggling and=20
conspiracy. Both could get a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Halstead supplied travel documents =
and Madarani=20
and Al-Solihi delivered them to would-be immigrants, according to =
the=20
indictments, the three splitting thousands of dollars, furniture =
and=20
jewelry.
Some immigrants said they paid from =
$6,000 to=20
$10,000 for one document. Halstead supplied documents allowing =
immigrants=20
to enter the country without proper background checks or =
applications,=20
federal officials said.
U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins said =
there was no=20
information to suggest any of the immigrants posed a danger to the =
United=20
States.
Federal agents arrested Halstead =
Monday morning=20
at her Detroit office, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration =
Services=20
at Mt. Elliott and East Jefferson. She has been an immigration =
officer for=20
nearly six years.
"I was shocked," Halstead said =
after her court=20
appearance, refusing to comment further.
She did not make a plea because her =
lawyer was=20
out of the state. U.S. Magistrate Thomas Carlson released her on =
$10,000=20
personal bond and delayed her arraignment to Wednesday.
Al-Solihi, who was already detained =
on a=20
separate criminal charge out of New York, entered a plea of not =
guilty and=20
remained in federal custody. Madarani, who owns and operates=20
Multi-Cultural Services in Dearborn, made arrangements to appear =
in court=20
voluntarily next week.
Madarani's sister-in-law, Lody =
Madarani, said=20
that Zoha Madarani was in Mexico on vacation with her husband and=20
children.
"I don't believe she's doing =
anything wrong,"=20
Lody Madarani said. "She likes to help people."
But the immigrant community in =
Dearborn has=20
been buzzing with complaints about Zoha Madarani for years, =
bristling at=20
the new office she built and angry that it took the government so =
long to=20
catch her.
Immigrants who bought visas through =
her=20
couldn't get work papers or apply for citizenship because they =
didn't have=20
any of the backup documents required.
"Once they got here, they were =
stuck," said=20
Faye Awada, who runs another private immigration service in =
Dearborn. "I=20
told them the best thing to do was to hire a lawyer, go to the =
government=20
and be honest."
A few did, and investigators began =
to build a=20
case against Madarani and Halstead in the last year, Collins said. =
But many may be deported or face =
criminal=20
charges. On Monday, agents fanned out across the state in search =
of=20
immigrants who bought into an offer too good to be true.
Contact TAMARA AUDI =
at=20
313-222-6582 or [email protected].
Â
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Apr 23rd 2003, 12:07 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Visa scheme charged
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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Wooo hoooo! I hope justice is served.
"Christa" wrote in message =
news:%[email protected]...
$6-10K for a visa to the US - and then it doesn't even include =
working papers! Maybe this makes the wait a bit easier for some ...
http://www.freep.com/news/locway/ins22_20030422.htm
Visa scheme charged=20
Federal worker and 2 others indicted in Detroit=20
April 22, 2003=20
BY TAMARA AUDI
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER=20
The offer was nothing less than a guaranteed ticket to America.=20
There would be no months spent waiting for paperwork, no =
haggling with immigration officials, no lines at the embassy, no phony =
documents. Just an open door to the land of plenty.=20
At least 130 Arab immigrants jumped at the offer, paying =
thousands of dollars into a visa scheme allegedly orchestrated by one of =
the government's own -- an immigration employee working in Detroit.=20
That employee stood in U.S. District Court in Detroit on Monday, =
barely 5 feet tall, gray-haired and still in her federal immigration =
uniform, meekly telling a U.S. magistrate that she understood the =
charges against her.=20
Janice Halstead, 59, of Detroit was indicted and arrested on =
charges of immigrant-smuggling, conspiracy and bribery. If convicted, =
she could be sentenced to 22 years in prison.=20
Two federal grand jury indictments unsealed Monday laid out an =
elaborate plan that stretched from Dearborn to Yemen to Lebanon, and =
involved at least two other people: Zoha Madarani, who runs a private =
immigration consulting service in Dearborn, and Salah Al-Solihi of =
Detroit.=20
Madarani was charged with conspiracy and immigrant smuggling; =
Al-Solihi was charged with attempted smuggling and conspiracy. Both =
could get a maximum sentence of 20 years.=20
Halstead supplied travel documents and Madarani and Al-Solihi =
delivered them to would-be immigrants, according to the indictments, the =
three splitting thousands of dollars, furniture and jewelry.=20
Some immigrants said they paid from $6,000 to $10,000 for one =
document. Halstead supplied documents allowing immigrants to enter the =
country without proper background checks or applications, federal =
officials said.=20
U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins said there was no information to =
suggest any of the immigrants posed a danger to the United States.=20
Federal agents arrested Halstead Monday morning at her Detroit =
office, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services at Mt. =
Elliott and East Jefferson. She has been an immigration officer for =
nearly six years.=20
"I was shocked," Halstead said after her court appearance, =
refusing to comment further.=20
She did not make a plea because her lawyer was out of the state. =
U.S. Magistrate Thomas Carlson released her on $10,000 personal bond and =
delayed her arraignment to Wednesday.=20
Al-Solihi, who was already detained on a separate criminal =
charge out of New York, entered a plea of not guilty and remained in =
federal custody. Madarani, who owns and operates Multi-Cultural Services =
in Dearborn, made arrangements to appear in court voluntarily next week. =
Madarani's sister-in-law, Lody Madarani, said that Zoha Madarani =
was in Mexico on vacation with her husband and children.=20
"I don't believe she's doing anything wrong," Lody Madarani =
said. "She likes to help people."=20
But the immigrant community in Dearborn has been buzzing with =
complaints about Zoha Madarani for years, bristling at the new office =
she built and angry that it took the government so long to catch her.=20
Immigrants who bought visas through her couldn't get work papers =
or apply for citizenship because they didn't have any of the backup =
documents required.=20
"Once they got here, they were stuck," said Faye Awada, who runs =
another private immigration service in Dearborn. "I told them the best =
thing to do was to hire a lawyer, go to the government and be honest."=20
A few did, and investigators began to build a case against =
Madarani and Halstead in the last year, Collins said.=20
But many may be deported or face criminal charges. On Monday, =
agents fanned out across the state in search of immigrants who bought =
into an offer too good to be true.=20
Contact TAMARA AUDI at 313-222-6582 or [email protected].=20
=20
=20
=20
------=_NextPart_001_0021_01C30902.7A3E1760
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Wooo hoooo! I hope justice is =
served.
"Christa" <christaxyz@nospamearthlink=
.net>=20
wrote in message ne=
ws:%[email protected] hlink.net...
$6-10K for a visa to the US - =
and then it=20
doesn't even include working papers! Maybe this makes the wait a =
bit=20
easier for some ...
Â
http://www.f=
reep.com/news/locway/ins22_20030422.htm
Visa scheme charged
Federal worker=20
and 2 others indicted in Detroit=20
April 22, =
2003
BY TAMARA AUDIFREE PRESS=20
STAFF WRITER
The offer was nothing less than a =
guaranteed=20
ticket to America.
There would be no months spent =
waiting for=20
paperwork, no haggling with immigration officials, no lines at =
the=20
embassy, no phony documents. Just an open door to the land of =
plenty.=20
At least 130 Arab immigrants =
jumped at the=20
offer, paying thousands of dollars into a visa scheme allegedly=20
orchestrated by one of the government's own -- an immigration =
employee=20
working in Detroit.
That employee stood in U.S. =
District Court in=20
Detroit on Monday, barely 5 feet tall, gray-haired and still in =
her=20
federal immigration uniform, meekly telling a U.S. magistrate =
that she=20
understood the charges against her.
Janice Halstead, 59, of Detroit =
was indicted=20
and arrested on charges of immigrant-smuggling, conspiracy and =
bribery.=20
If convicted, she could be sentenced to 22 years in prison. =
Two federal grand jury =
indictments unsealed=20
Monday laid out an elaborate plan that stretched from Dearborn =
to Yemen=20
to Lebanon, and involved at least two other people: Zoha =
Madarani, who=20
runs a private immigration consulting service in Dearborn, and =
Salah=20
Al-Solihi of Detroit.
Madarani was charged with =
conspiracy and=20
immigrant smuggling; Al-Solihi was charged with attempted =
smuggling and=20
conspiracy. Both could get a maximum sentence of 20 years. =
Halstead supplied travel =
documents and=20
Madarani and Al-Solihi delivered them to would-be immigrants, =
according=20
to the indictments, the three splitting thousands of dollars, =
furniture=20
and jewelry.
Some immigrants said they paid =
from $6,000 to=20
$10,000 for one document. Halstead supplied documents allowing=20
immigrants to enter the country without proper background checks =
or=20
applications, federal officials said.
U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins =
said there was=20
no information to suggest any of the immigrants posed a danger =
to the=20
United States.
Federal agents arrested Halstead =
Monday=20
morning at her Detroit office, the Bureau of Citizenship and =
Immigration=20
Services at Mt. Elliott and East Jefferson. She has been an =
immigration=20
officer for nearly six years.
"I was shocked," Halstead said =
after her=20
court appearance, refusing to comment further.
She did not make a plea because =
her lawyer=20
was out of the state. U.S. Magistrate Thomas Carlson released =
her on=20
$10,000 personal bond and delayed her arraignment to Wednesday. =
Al-Solihi, who was already =
detained on a=20
separate criminal charge out of New York, entered a plea of not =
guilty=20
and remained in federal custody. Madarani, who owns and operates =
Multi-Cultural Services in Dearborn, made arrangements to appear =
in=20
court voluntarily next week.
Madarani's sister-in-law, Lody =
Madarani, said=20
that Zoha Madarani was in Mexico on vacation with her husband =
and=20
children.
"I don't believe she's doing =
anything wrong,"=20
Lody Madarani said. "She likes to help people."
But the immigrant community in =
Dearborn has=20
been buzzing with complaints about Zoha Madarani for years, =
bristling at=20
the new office she built and angry that it took the government =
so long=20
to catch her.
Immigrants who bought visas =
through her=20
couldn't get work papers or apply for citizenship because they =
didn't=20
have any of the backup documents required.
"Once they got here, they were =
stuck," said=20
Faye Awada, who runs another private immigration service in =
Dearborn. "I=20
told them the best thing to do was to hire a lawyer, go to the=20
government and be honest."
A few did, and investigators =
began to build a=20
case against Madarani and Halstead in the last year, Collins =
said.=20
But many may be deported or face =
criminal=20
charges. On Monday, agents fanned out across the state in search =
of=20
immigrants who bought into an offer too good to be true.
Contact TAMARA =
AUDI at=20
313-222-6582 or [email protected].
 =20
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Wooo hoooo! I hope justice is served.
"Christa" wrote in message =
news:%[email protected]...
$6-10K for a visa to the US - and then it doesn't even include =
working papers! Maybe this makes the wait a bit easier for some ...
http://www.freep.com/news/locway/ins22_20030422.htm
Visa scheme charged=20
Federal worker and 2 others indicted in Detroit=20
April 22, 2003=20
BY TAMARA AUDI
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER=20
The offer was nothing less than a guaranteed ticket to America.=20
There would be no months spent waiting for paperwork, no =
haggling with immigration officials, no lines at the embassy, no phony =
documents. Just an open door to the land of plenty.=20
At least 130 Arab immigrants jumped at the offer, paying =
thousands of dollars into a visa scheme allegedly orchestrated by one of =
the government's own -- an immigration employee working in Detroit.=20
That employee stood in U.S. District Court in Detroit on Monday, =
barely 5 feet tall, gray-haired and still in her federal immigration =
uniform, meekly telling a U.S. magistrate that she understood the =
charges against her.=20
Janice Halstead, 59, of Detroit was indicted and arrested on =
charges of immigrant-smuggling, conspiracy and bribery. If convicted, =
she could be sentenced to 22 years in prison.=20
Two federal grand jury indictments unsealed Monday laid out an =
elaborate plan that stretched from Dearborn to Yemen to Lebanon, and =
involved at least two other people: Zoha Madarani, who runs a private =
immigration consulting service in Dearborn, and Salah Al-Solihi of =
Detroit.=20
Madarani was charged with conspiracy and immigrant smuggling; =
Al-Solihi was charged with attempted smuggling and conspiracy. Both =
could get a maximum sentence of 20 years.=20
Halstead supplied travel documents and Madarani and Al-Solihi =
delivered them to would-be immigrants, according to the indictments, the =
three splitting thousands of dollars, furniture and jewelry.=20
Some immigrants said they paid from $6,000 to $10,000 for one =
document. Halstead supplied documents allowing immigrants to enter the =
country without proper background checks or applications, federal =
officials said.=20
U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins said there was no information to =
suggest any of the immigrants posed a danger to the United States.=20
Federal agents arrested Halstead Monday morning at her Detroit =
office, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services at Mt. =
Elliott and East Jefferson. She has been an immigration officer for =
nearly six years.=20
"I was shocked," Halstead said after her court appearance, =
refusing to comment further.=20
She did not make a plea because her lawyer was out of the state. =
U.S. Magistrate Thomas Carlson released her on $10,000 personal bond and =
delayed her arraignment to Wednesday.=20
Al-Solihi, who was already detained on a separate criminal =
charge out of New York, entered a plea of not guilty and remained in =
federal custody. Madarani, who owns and operates Multi-Cultural Services =
in Dearborn, made arrangements to appear in court voluntarily next week. =
Madarani's sister-in-law, Lody Madarani, said that Zoha Madarani =
was in Mexico on vacation with her husband and children.=20
"I don't believe she's doing anything wrong," Lody Madarani =
said. "She likes to help people."=20
But the immigrant community in Dearborn has been buzzing with =
complaints about Zoha Madarani for years, bristling at the new office =
she built and angry that it took the government so long to catch her.=20
Immigrants who bought visas through her couldn't get work papers =
or apply for citizenship because they didn't have any of the backup =
documents required.=20
"Once they got here, they were stuck," said Faye Awada, who runs =
another private immigration service in Dearborn. "I told them the best =
thing to do was to hire a lawyer, go to the government and be honest."=20
A few did, and investigators began to build a case against =
Madarani and Halstead in the last year, Collins said.=20
But many may be deported or face criminal charges. On Monday, =
agents fanned out across the state in search of immigrants who bought =
into an offer too good to be true.=20
Contact TAMARA AUDI at 313-222-6582 or [email protected].=20
=20
=20
=20
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Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Wooo hoooo! I hope justice is =
served.
"Christa" <christaxyz@nospamearthlink=
.net>=20
wrote in message ne=
ws:%[email protected] hlink.net...
$6-10K for a visa to the US - =
and then it=20
doesn't even include working papers! Maybe this makes the wait a =
bit=20
easier for some ...
Â
http://www.f=
reep.com/news/locway/ins22_20030422.htm
Visa scheme charged
Federal worker=20
and 2 others indicted in Detroit=20
April 22, =
2003
BY TAMARA AUDIFREE PRESS=20
STAFF WRITER
The offer was nothing less than a =
guaranteed=20
ticket to America.
There would be no months spent =
waiting for=20
paperwork, no haggling with immigration officials, no lines at =
the=20
embassy, no phony documents. Just an open door to the land of =
plenty.=20
At least 130 Arab immigrants =
jumped at the=20
offer, paying thousands of dollars into a visa scheme allegedly=20
orchestrated by one of the government's own -- an immigration =
employee=20
working in Detroit.
That employee stood in U.S. =
District Court in=20
Detroit on Monday, barely 5 feet tall, gray-haired and still in =
her=20
federal immigration uniform, meekly telling a U.S. magistrate =
that she=20
understood the charges against her.
Janice Halstead, 59, of Detroit =
was indicted=20
and arrested on charges of immigrant-smuggling, conspiracy and =
bribery.=20
If convicted, she could be sentenced to 22 years in prison. =
Two federal grand jury =
indictments unsealed=20
Monday laid out an elaborate plan that stretched from Dearborn =
to Yemen=20
to Lebanon, and involved at least two other people: Zoha =
Madarani, who=20
runs a private immigration consulting service in Dearborn, and =
Salah=20
Al-Solihi of Detroit.
Madarani was charged with =
conspiracy and=20
immigrant smuggling; Al-Solihi was charged with attempted =
smuggling and=20
conspiracy. Both could get a maximum sentence of 20 years. =
Halstead supplied travel =
documents and=20
Madarani and Al-Solihi delivered them to would-be immigrants, =
according=20
to the indictments, the three splitting thousands of dollars, =
furniture=20
and jewelry.
Some immigrants said they paid =
from $6,000 to=20
$10,000 for one document. Halstead supplied documents allowing=20
immigrants to enter the country without proper background checks =
or=20
applications, federal officials said.
U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins =
said there was=20
no information to suggest any of the immigrants posed a danger =
to the=20
United States.
Federal agents arrested Halstead =
Monday=20
morning at her Detroit office, the Bureau of Citizenship and =
Immigration=20
Services at Mt. Elliott and East Jefferson. She has been an =
immigration=20
officer for nearly six years.
"I was shocked," Halstead said =
after her=20
court appearance, refusing to comment further.
She did not make a plea because =
her lawyer=20
was out of the state. U.S. Magistrate Thomas Carlson released =
her on=20
$10,000 personal bond and delayed her arraignment to Wednesday. =
Al-Solihi, who was already =
detained on a=20
separate criminal charge out of New York, entered a plea of not =
guilty=20
and remained in federal custody. Madarani, who owns and operates =
Multi-Cultural Services in Dearborn, made arrangements to appear =
in=20
court voluntarily next week.
Madarani's sister-in-law, Lody =
Madarani, said=20
that Zoha Madarani was in Mexico on vacation with her husband =
and=20
children.
"I don't believe she's doing =
anything wrong,"=20
Lody Madarani said. "She likes to help people."
But the immigrant community in =
Dearborn has=20
been buzzing with complaints about Zoha Madarani for years, =
bristling at=20
the new office she built and angry that it took the government =
so long=20
to catch her.
Immigrants who bought visas =
through her=20
couldn't get work papers or apply for citizenship because they =
didn't=20
have any of the backup documents required.
"Once they got here, they were =
stuck," said=20
Faye Awada, who runs another private immigration service in =
Dearborn. "I=20
told them the best thing to do was to hire a lawyer, go to the=20
government and be honest."
A few did, and investigators =
began to build a=20
case against Madarani and Halstead in the last year, Collins =
said.=20
But many may be deported or face =
criminal=20
charges. On Monday, agents fanned out across the state in search =
of=20
immigrants who bought into an offer too good to be true.
Contact TAMARA =
AUDI at=20
313-222-6582 or [email protected].
 =20
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