The arrest of Nilesh Dasondi, noted community activist and Edison zoning board member, in an immigration scam involving his company, Cygate Software and Consulting, has shocked the community. Dasondi, 41, is charged with violations including visa fraud and conspiracy to commit visa fraud.
Six others involved in the scam were also arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. They posed as software experts and were sponsored for H1-B visas by Cygate; in the event, they were running shops or doing other businesses, according to court papers.
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Three of them were arrested on Long Island, New York. One of them, Kishor Parikh, 42, of Ronkonkoma, operated VMR Cards and Gifts, Medford, and paid $73,000 to Dasondi, according to court papers. Devang Patel, 31, of Ronkonkoma, operated the 50 percent Off Card Store, Lake Ronkonkoma, and L&A Cards, Sayville. He paid $104,000. Chetan Trivedi, 40, also of Ronkonkoma paid $71,000. His employment is unknown. Hetal Shah, a fourth person arrested in Paramus, New Jersey, was released on $100,000 bail, secured by his brother's home. Two others arrested were living in Chicago and Arizona.
Dasondi was released on a bail of $800,000, secured by equity on three properties he owns including his primary residence. Four bank accounts have been seized, and Dasondi has been ordered for home confinement with electronic monitoring.
After reports of his arrest spread, Dasondi apologised, resigned his position with the zoning board, saying until the case against him is resolved, it would be in everyone's best interests if he resigned. He had been appointed to the zoning board by the Edison Township Council in June 2007, and had contested unsuccessfully for Edison City Council last year.
According to the charge sheet, the elaborate scheme began with applying for H1-B visas for various people through Cygate. Dasondi certified that they had technical skills that were needed by his company, and kept them on his company's payroll. The workers then gave monthly payments to him.
The money was used in a process called 'running the payroll.' The company created false pay stubs, pay checks and health insurance payments, and submitted them to the government as proof of the employment of them.
State and federal taxes were also paid, making things more believable. The company would return some money to the workers while Dasondi kept part of it, the charge sheet said. Dasondi, a naturalised citizen, also agreed to petition for green cards in exchange for fees of between $10,000 and $15,000 per card, authorities said.
The case will go before a grand jury, though no date has yet been set.
