Indictment Issued for Iranian Accused of Immigration Fraud

According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice released on Monday evening, an indictment has been issued against an Iranian national accused of leading a scheme to fraudulently issue visas to facilitate the illegal entry of individuals from Iran into the United States. Based on court documents, 38-year-old Hesam Fatehi Peykani allegedly organized, directed, and collaborated with a smuggling network based in Iran to facilitate the entry of Iranian citizens into the U.S. under false pretenses. Peykani reportedly executed his plan to submit or register tourist visa applications with false information on behalf of applicants at U.S. consulates or embassies around Iran, charging fees ranging from $1,000 to $30,000 from Iranian citizens. The allegedly false information aimed to show that Iranian citizens had a 'strong connection to Iran' to increase their chances of obtaining tourist visas, 'even when applicants intended to remain permanently in the United States after entry.' According to the U.S. Department of Justice statement, Peykani is said to have 'trained applicants to repeat their lies during their visa interviews at the U.S. consulate or embassy.' The statement also noted that on one or more occasions, Peykani provided Iranian citizens with fake documents to support the lies stated in their visa applications during their interviews. Quoting Kenneth A. Polite, Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, the statement said: 'Hesam Fatehi Peykani is accused of fraudulently facilitating the entry of Iranian nationals into the United States when they had no right to do so - and in the process, he became wealthy by charging exorbitant fees for his services.' This Justice Department official stated: 'As this case shows, this department will continue to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who seek to profit from actions that undermine our legal immigration system.' Peykani has been charged with 'conspiracy to defraud the United States' and committing 'visa fraud,' as well as 'conspiracy to encourage and induce an alien to enter the United States for profit.' If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The U.S. Department of Justice emphasized that 'an indictment is merely an allegation' and 'all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.'