Indian-Origin Men Admit to H-1B Visa Fraud in California
Two Indian-origin men admitted their roles in an H-1B visa fraud scheme in California. The defendants are Sampath Rajidi, 51, and Sreedhar Mada, 51.
Allegations and timeline
Prosecutors say the fraud ran from June 2020 to January 2023. During that period the men submitted multiple H-1B petitions to USCIS.
Many petitions listed jobs at the University of California. Investigators found the listed positions did not actually exist.
How the scheme operated
Rajidi ran two visa-service firms, S-Team Software Inc. and Uptrend Technologies LLC. Mada served as Chief Information Officer for University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Authorities allege Mada lent his name and university title to the petitions. After USCIS approved the visas, the defendants provided the H-1B approvals to other clients.
Role of false information
Court documents state both men knew the job offers were fictitious. The filings allegedly misled USCIS and beneficiaries alike.
Charges and potential penalties
Both men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit H-1B visa fraud. Each faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Officials say the scheme gave the defendants an unfair advantage over competing firms. The operation also reduced the pool of available H-1B visas.
Wider enforcement context
The case comes amid a broader crackdown on H-1B visa abuse. Investigations have exposed complex networks that exploit the program.
Some staffing firms extract fees or take payment cuts. Others run scams by promising jobs that beneficiaries never receive.
Filmogaz.com reviewed court records and public filings in reporting this story. Federal authorities continue to pursue similar cases nationwide.
