California Residents Plead Guilty in Major H-1B Visa Fraud Case
Two residents of Dublin, California, have entered guilty pleas in a significant visa fraud case connected to the H-1B program, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California. The case centers on the deliberate misuse of fabricated job offers to secure visas for foreign workers, undermining the integrity of the immigration system.
Details of the Fraudulent Scheme
The accused individuals, identified as Sampath Rajidi, 51, and Sreedhar Mada, 51, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit visa fraud. Court documents reveal that Rajidi operated two visa-related companies: S-Team Software Inc. and Uptrend Technologies LLC. Between June 2020 and January 2023, they submitted multiple H-1B visa petitions falsely claiming that foreign workers would be employed in positions associated with the University of California.
Mada, who served as the Chief Information Officer at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR), exploited his official position to lend credibility to these fraudulent claims. However, a thorough investigation uncovered that the jobs listed in the applications were entirely fictitious. The workers were never employed at the university; instead, after their visas were approved, they were placed with other clients.
Impact on the Visa System
Officials emphasized that the submission of false information was crucial in obtaining visa approvals from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This deceptive scheme provided the accused with an unfair advantage over legitimate businesses and effectively reduced the number of visas available to qualified applicants who followed the rules.
The fraudulent activities not only violated immigration laws but also distorted the competitive landscape for H-1B visas, which are intended for skilled foreign workers in specialty occupations.
Investigation and Legal Consequences
The case is being investigated by multiple federal agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations and the USCIS Fraud Detection unit. Both Rajidi and Mada are scheduled for sentencing on July 30, 2026. They face severe penalties, including a maximum of five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 each, although the final sentence will be determined by the court.
This prosecution highlights ongoing efforts to combat visa fraud and protect the integrity of the H-1B program, which is vital for addressing workforce needs in technology and other specialized fields.
