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Man in immigration document fraud signs plea deal
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Posted on Feb 05 2012
A man who is facing an indictment for immigration document fraud has signed a plea agreement with the U.S. government.
Under the plea agreement, Mohammed Shoukat Bhuiyan will plead guilty to one count of immigration document fraud.
The change of plea hearing will be on Feb. 13, 2012 at 2pm.
Assistant U.S. attorney Beverly McCallum informed the U.S. District Court for the NMI last week that the prosecution and Bhuiyan have signed the plea agreement.
Attorney Colin Thompson is court-appointed counsel for the defendant.
According to court papers, Bhuiyan, a Bangladeshi, signed and submitted on Oct. 13, 2008, a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-485 (application to register permanent residence or adjust status) in support of his request for adjustment to lawful permanent resident status.
Bhuiyan answered in negative as to the question: “Have you, by fraud or willful misrepresentation of a material fact, ever sought to procure, or procured—any immigration benefit?”
Such statement influenced or had the tendency to influence USCIS in its consideration of Bhuiyan’s request for adjustment.
At the time, Bhuiyan knew that it was a false statement since in 2007 until Oct. 13, 2008, he sought immigration status as a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. by claiming to have resided continuously with wife Delora Taman Bhuiyan.
Bhuiyan knew this claim to be false, since he had not in fact resided continuously with Delora Taman Bhuiyan for that period.
Last month, Delora Bhuiyan pleaded guilty to a count of immigration document fraud. Her sentencing will be on April 13, 2012.
