Los Angeles Times (California)
By Joseph Serna
March 11, 2015
Authorities
arrested the operators of four Los Angeles-area trade schools for
allegedly running an elaborate “pay-to-stay” scam in which foreign
nationals used student
visas to stay in the United States without actually going to school.
The
schools appear to have tapped the booming Asian immigration population
in Koreatown and the San Gabriel Valley. Authorities say the suspects
took in $6 million a year
in tuition payments.
Hee
Sun Shim, 51, of Beverly Hills; Hyung Chan Moon, 39; and Eun Young
Choi, 35, were named in a 21-count indictment returned by a federal
grand jury Tuesday.
Authorities
say Shim operated three schools in Koreatown and a fourth in Alhambra
that enrolled hundreds of immigrants in their schools so they could
remain in the country
knowing the students had no plans of attending.
The
schools identified by investigators were Prodee University/Neo-America
Language School; Walter Jay M.D. Institute; an Educational Center and
the American College of
Forensic Studies and Likie Fashion and Technology College in Alhambra.
"Officials
at several schools allegedly abused their responsibility to ensure that
only legitimate foreign students were allowed to the stay in the
country," said acting
U.S. Atty. Stephanie Yonekura in a statement. "This type of fraud
against the United States will be thoroughly examined to bring those
responsible to justice and to protect the integrity of our immigration
system.”
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
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