Part owner of a company in CW1 scheme pleads guilty

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One of two owners of a company entered a guilty plea yesterday in federal court in connection with the allegations that they engaged in fraud in the applications for CNMI-Only Transitional Worker program (CW1) permits.

Kosuke Tomokiyo pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and misuse of visas and permits.

U.S. District Court for the NMI Magistrate Judge Heather L. Kennedy, who presided over the hearing, said she would recommend to Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona to accept Tomokiyo’s guilty plea.

Tomokiyo signed a plea deal with the U.S. government.

Assistant U.S. attorney Eric O’Malley appeared for the U.S. government.

According to court documents, Tomokiyo is vice president and part owner of K.C.A. Corp. His co-defendant, Mizanur Khan, who is president and part owner of the company, is being charged with four counts of fraud and misuse of visas and permits and two counts of mail fraud.

According to the indictment, on Aug. 5, 2015, Khan falsely to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that three foreign workers would be employed by K.C.A. as an “operation service worker (charcoal maker)” and that they would be employed in that capacity for 40 hours per week, for a period of one year.

On Aug. 22, 2016, Khan and Tomokiyo allegedly falsely represented to USCIS that Tomokiyo had previously been and was to be employed by K.C.A. as a “sales manager,” and that Tomokiyo had been employed in that capacity since January 2016.

On June 6, 2015 and Aug. 22, 2016, Khan, for the purpose of executing the scheme allegedly delivered by the U.S. Postal Services and commercial interstate carrier DHL, respectively, several I-129CW petitions.

Ferdie De La Torre | Reporter
Ferdie Ponce de la Torre is a senior reporter of Saipan Tribune. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has covered all news beats in the CNMI. He is a recipient of the CNMI Supreme Court Justice Award. Contact him at ferdie_delatorre@Saipantribune.com

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