July 27, 2004
A husband and wife team operating the green card lottery scam USA Immigration Services has been shut down. John Romano pled guilty to mail fraud and was sentenced today to 37 months in prison. His wife, Hoda Nofal, previously pled guilty to obstruction of the mails and was sentenced in April 2004 to six months in prison.
In addition to the criminal actions, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a civil action against the duo and their company. The FTCs action alleged that the defendants, through eight Web sites, misled consumers into believing the sites were affiliated with the United States government, and that, for a fee, they could help consumers register for the State Departments Diversity Visa (DV) lottery for a chance to apply for a permanent resident visa (green card).
The court recently entered a stipulated final order that requires the defendants to post a $5 million bond before marketing services related to government-issued travel or residency documents, and to pay approximately $2.2 million in consumer redress.
This case is a red light for fraudulent green card operators, said FTC Chairman Timothy Muris, and an excellent example of the effectiveness of enforcement partnerships to stop scam artists. We want potential immigrants to know that the federal government is here to protect their rights.
This case signals that immigration scam artists will be pursued and shut down. The Southern District of Florida is closed for immigration fraud, said United States Attorney Marcos Daniel Jimnez. I am proud that our Office worked effectively with the FTC to stop the defendants illegal activities and protect the right of potential immigrants.
The case is part of an ongoing and comprehensive campaign to identify and halt fraud targeting Spanish-speaking consumers.
In April of this year, the FTC announced its Hispanic Law Enforcement and Outreach initiative to address the growing problem of deceptive advertising aimed at Spanish-speaking consumers. The Initiative encompasses traditional law enforcement actions and consumer outreach.
