Two Indian-origin men have pleaded guilty to conspiracy in an H-1B visa fraud case involving fake job offers linked to the University of California.
Sampath Rajidi, 51, and Sreedhar Mada, 51, admitted to submitting fraudulent H-1B visa petitions between June 2020 and January 2023. They allegedly promised foreign nationals jobs at the University of California, despite there being no such openings.
According to court documents, Rajidi operated visa consultancy firms — S-Team Software Inc. and Uptrend Technologies LLC — through which the scheme was carried out.
Mada, who served as Chief Information Officer at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, played a key role by using his position to lend credibility to the applications.
Officials said Mada had access to internal information but did not have the authority to hire H-1B workers independently. However, he allowed his name and designation to be used in visa petitions, making it appear as though the university was recruiting candidates.
Investigators found that both individuals knowingly submitted false information to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), fully aware that the jobs mentioned in the applications did not exist. Once the visas were approved, they were allegedly diverted to other clients.
Authorities stated that the scheme gave them an unfair advantage over other firms and reduced the availability of H-1B visas for legitimate applicants.
Both Rajidi and Mada now face a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
The case is part of a broader crackdown by U.S. authorities on H-1B visa misuse, which has increasingly involved complex and multi-layered fraud networks, including fake job promises and financial exploitation of visa applicants.