H-1B fraud storm resurfaces: But Chennai attorney says the crisis was fixed years ago

Author's Summary

Chennai immigration attorney Gnanamookan Senthurjothi dismisses recent viral claims of rampant H-1B fraud from 2005-07 as outdated, stressing that U.S. reforms like the Hyderabad consulate and stricter vetting have since curbed issues, ensuring low fraud rates today. (152 characters)

Key Claims by Former Officer

Former U.S. consular officer Mahvash Siddiqui, who served at the Chennai consulate in 2005-2007, alleged in a podcast that 80-90% of H-1B visas issued to Indians involved fraud.

She described handling over 51,000 cases rife with forged degrees, proxy interviews, fake employer letters, and other falsifications, mainly from Hyderabad and Punjab applicants.

The industrial-scale fraud that plagued H-1B visa applications from India during 2005-07, especially under the watch of the U.S. Consulate in Chennai.

Attorney's Response

Chennai-based attorney Gnanamookan Senthurjothi, with decades of visa experience, counters that the problems occurred long ago and prompted major fixes.

He notes the Hyderabad consulate was established specifically to scrutinize applicants with fake documents from that region.

“The fraud that has been talked about happened a long time ago. In fact, that is the reason why the Hyderabad consulate was even built—to scrutinize applicants from Hyderabad with fake documents.”

Reforms and Current State

Post-2007 reforms introduced tougher vetting, screening, and criminal actions against fraudulent agents and applicants, drastically reducing fraud.

Senthurjothi highlights WikiLeaks cables exposing Hyderabad's fraud rings like Ameerpet, but emphasizes today's rigorous documentation and compliance preserve program integrity.

He calls recent buzz "typical Trump-like promotion" recycling old news amid heightened H-1B scrutiny.

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