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Israeli National Pleads Guilty to Immigration Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme
A federal investigation has led to the conviction of an Israeli national in a complex immigration fraud and money laundering scheme. Shai Cohen, 39, pleaded guilty to his role in a conspiracy to launder money and facilitate the illegal entry, harboring, and transporting of noncitizens in the United States for the purpose of their employment.
According to court documents, from approximately 2011 through December 2013, Cohen and his co-conspirators assisted noncitizens in fraudulently obtaining B-1/B-2 tourist/visitor visas by misrepresenting the true purpose of their travel to the United States, which was illegal employment. The noncitizens were primarily compensated for their work by under-the-table cash payments or the transfer of money to stored value payment cards, rather than through a legitimate payroll system.
Cohen also provided housing and transportation for the noncitizens to and from work in the United States. The scheme involved the use of foreign and domestic bank accounts for financial transactions to pay for leased office space, apartments, airline tickets, vehicles, and other business costs in furtherance of and to promote the criminal scheme.
Cohen was arrested in Israel pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. In August, he was extradited to the Eastern District of Virginia. Cohen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to launder money, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Cohen is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2024.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Clayton O’Connor of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raizza K. Ty for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing Cohen’s arrest and extradition from Israel. The Justice Department thanks the government of Israel for making the arrest and extradition of Cohen possible.
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Immigration Fraud
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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