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New York Woman Sentenced for Role in Visa Fraud Scheme
A New York woman has been sentenced to 2 years and 1 month in prison for her role in a multi-year visa fraud, identity theft, and immigrant smuggling conspiracy.
Stella Boyadjian, 53, of Rego Park, led a transnational network of co-conspirators who engaged in a widespread visa fraud scheme to bring Armenian citizens into the United States by fraudulently claiming to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that the Armenians were members of performance groups, and thus qualified for P-3 “Culturally Unique Artist” visas.
According to court documents, Boyadjian ran a non-profit organization called Big Apple Music Awards (BAMA) Foundation based in Rego Park. She used the BAMA Foundation as well as formal and informal music industry contacts in the United States and Armenia to perpetuate the scheme.
Boyadjian and others solicited Armenian citizens who wanted to come to the United States and charged them between $3,000 and $15,000 for P-3 visas facilitated by Boyadjian and others submitting fraudulent Form I-129 Petitions to the USCIS. To accomplish this, Boyadjian and other associates in Armenia acquired fraudulent performer certificates and organized staged photo sessions where the aliens wore traditional Armenian folk outfits to appear to be traditional Armenian performers.
Boyadjian previously pleaded guilty in March 2019 to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, commit visa fraud, and unlawfully bring aliens to the United States, one count of visa fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The case was investigated by the Diplomatic Security Service and the USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Center. Deputy Chief Rami S. Badawy of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John O. Enright for the Eastern District of New York prosecuted the case.
Boyadjian’s sentence is a result of her role in bringing Armenian citizens into the United States for profit. The scheme involved charging individuals between $3,000 and $15,000 for P-3 visas, which were obtained through fraudulent means.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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