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Hesam Fatehi Peykani Charged with Immigration Fraud and Human Smuggling Conspiracy
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A brazen scheme to defraud the U.S. government and smuggle Iranian nationals into the country has been brought to light, thanks to the tireless efforts of federal law enforcement.
Hesam Fatehi Peykani, a 38-year-old Iranian national, has been charged with leading a visa fraud scheme to facilitate the illegal entry of individuals from Iran into the United States. The indictment, unsealed on [date], alleges that Peykani organized, led, and worked with others in his Iranian-based smuggling network to carry out the scheme.
According to the indictment, Peykani charged Iranian citizens between $1,000 to $30,000 to submit or cause to be submitted tourist visa applications with false information on their behalf at a nearby U.S. consulate or embassy. The purportedly false information made the Iranian citizens appear to have strong ties to Iran to increase the likelihood of receiving a U.S. tourist visa, even when the applicants intended to remain in the United States permanently.
Peykani allegedly coached the applicants to repeat the lies on their tourist visa application during their visa interview at a U.S. consulate or embassy. On one or more occasions, Peykani allegedly provided fraudulent documents to the Iranian citizens to support the lies in their visa application during their visa interview.
The scheme, which is believed to have taken place from approximately September 2013 to October 2015, is a stark reminder of the dangers of human smuggling and the importance of protecting the integrity of the U.S. immigration system.
“Peykani allegedly exploited individuals and the U.S. immigration system through his visa scheme, trading on lies and fake documents to facilitate the illegal entry of Iranian citizens into the United States under false pretenses,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We are committed to holding accountable those who seek personal monetary gain by compromising and undermining the integrity of the immigration process.”
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Criminal Fraud Investigations Branch, with assistance from HSI Washington D.C., and is supported by the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI.
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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