Popular immigration lawyer gets 2 year jail sentence

March 26, 2008

BY RHONY LAIGO

Balita News Service

LOS ANGELES—An immigration lawyer, who once run one of the biggest immigration law firms on the West Coast, was sentenced early this week to two years in federal prison for filing fraudulent visa applications, some of which were for their own employees, according to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office said. A senior associate of the same firm was sentenced to three years probation, plus 200 hours of community service.

Sentenced was Daniel E. Korenberg, 58, of Encino, a name partner and founder of the law firm formerly known as Korenberg, Abramowitz & Feldun (KAF), now operating under the name of Ask Law Group. Aside from the 24 months federal prison sentence, Korenberg was also ordered to a three year supervised release with a condition that he serve an additional six months on home detention with electronic monitoring.

Korenberg was also ordered to pay a fine of $750,000, according to the release. Last fall, Korenberg pleaded guilty to two counts of visa fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud.

The associate was identified as Steven James Rodriguez, 41, of Thousand Oaks, who will also serve six months of home detention with electronic monitoring. Rodriguez pleaded guilty also last fall to one count of making false statements to the Immigration and Naturalization Service, now known as the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Both men were sentenced by United States District Judge Percy Anderson.

Korenberg’s partner, Philip Abramowitz, 54, of Agoura Hills, pleaded guilty to two counts of visa fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud last year. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 24.

In an interview with BALITA, Supervising Trial Counsel Dane Dauphine said that the State Bar of California will request a summary disbarment (i.e. without a hearing) of all three lawyers. He said Abramowitz resigned from the Bar last Oct. 28, which was transmitted to the Supreme Court. However, he said they will ask the court to decline the resignation and instead impose disbarment after Abramowitz’s sentencing on March 24.

According to Dauphine, the three lawyers have been on an interim suspension, and have not been allowed to practice law. Abramowitz has been on an interim suspension since last July 25, Rodriguez since last Dec. 30 and Korenberg early this year.

Summary disbarment, means the lawyers cannot practice for at least five years, Dauphine said. They can apply to be reinstated, he said, once they proved good moral standing, knowledge of the law and after rehabilitation following their convictions.

Korenberg and Rodriguez were charged in a 33-count indictment handed down in February 2007 following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), USCIS, the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, and the California Employment Development Department, the news release said.

According to the indictment, beginning in 2000 and continuing through at least February 2003, the defendants filed fraudulent employment-based visa petitions on behalf of foreign nationals seeking temporary work authorization or permanent residency in the United States. At least 19 of the aliens who benefited from the visa fraud scheme were KAF employees.

“These sentences are stern reminders about the consequences awaiting those who conspire to compromise the integrity of our nation’s legal immigration system,” said Jennifer Silliman, Deputy Special Agent in Charge for the ICE Office of Investigations in Los Angeles. “Disturbingly, the defendants in this case used their expertise in immigration law not for the greater good, but to undermine the system and enrich themselves.

KAF is based in the San Fernando Valley community of Sherman Oaks, and the firm maintains offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Las Vegas.

“These sentences successfully conclude the investigation and prosecution of two attorneys who filed false documentation for personal gain, facilitating the illegal entry of foreign nationals into the United States,” said Gordon Heddell, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). “We will continue to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect the integrity of the DOL’s foreign labor certification program.”

Court papers filed in the case detail how KAF hired foreign nationals without work authorization for a variety of support positions, including paralegal jobs. The defendants then allegedly applied for fraudulent work visas for those employees and paid them “off the books” in cash until the visas were approved.

To support the visa petitions, Korenberg and others created documents making false claims about the aliens’ work experience and offers of employment. Korenberg and others made false statements to the U.S. government in connection with immigration and labor petitions filed on behalf of KAF employees. Rodriguez and others made false statements to the U.S. government in connection with immigration petitions filed on behalf of KAF clients.

In addition to the law firm, the probe targeted two Los Angeles-area employment agencies, Job Seekers International and Employmasters International. The investigation revealed that the employment agencies identified employers, both real and fictitious, to attest that the aliens seeking the work visas were being recruited for highly skilled jobs that, in most instances, did not exist. In 2005, the three owners of those employment agencies and one of their employees pleaded guilty to visa fraud and conspiracy charges. Those four defendants are awaiting sentencing.

The other defendants charged in the case are:

● Heidi Poepping, 45, of Moorpark, a paralegal at KAF, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit visa fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 21;

● Arturo Valencia, 56, of Walnut, the owner of Job Seekers International, pleaded guilty two years ago to one count of visa fraud and one count of conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12;

● Maria Theresa Resurreccion, 40, of Anaheim, an employee of Job Seekers International, pleaded guilty to one count of visa fraud and one count of conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5;

● Arnel Dizon, 36, of Corona, a co-owner of Employmasters International, pleaded guilty to one count of visa fraud and one count of conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28; and

● Marlyn Rodriguez Dizon (Arnel’s wife), 44, of Los Angeles, a co-owner of Employmasters International, pleaded guilty in May 2005 to one count of visa fraud and one count of conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 14.