USCIS: 82-year-old man sentenced for visa fraud, faces home detention and $15,000 fine

In Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, an 82-year-old man, Angel Paras Cruz Jr., has been sentenced for orchestrating a visa fraud scheme that exploited six Filipino workers. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the sentencing on June 29, detailing a conviction for visa fraud under the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands' Transitional Worker (CW-1) Program.

Cruz received a sentence of three years of probation, which includes 12 months of home detention. He was also ordered to pay a $15,000 fine, a $300 special assessment fee, and $28,273.31 in restitution to the victims. The fraud occurred between August 2023 and January 2024, when Cruz brought the workers to Saipan under the CW-1 visa program.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, Cruz provided false and misleading information to applicants, USCIS, and the Department of Labor regarding wages, work schedules, and job duties. He failed to adhere to contract terms and submitted fraudulent information on Form I-129CW. Instead of fair compensation, the workers were subjected to fear and intimidation, forced to work more than 40 hours per week without pay, including nights and weekends.

Authorities reported that the six workers were compelled to live in unsafe and degrading conditions. Cruz also confiscated the passports and personal documents of some employees, further exacerbating their vulnerability. The sentencing underscores the Department of Justice's commitment to combating abuses within the CW-1 program and holding employers accountable for exploiting foreign workers. The investigation involved collaboration between USCIS, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).

“

The Department of Justice will combat any abuse of the CW-1 program and hold employers accountable when they exploit legal foreign workers.