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One of 6 defendants in sham hiring case pleads guilty
One of six defendants in a CW-1 scam that victimized Bangladeshi nationals pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday afternoon.
At a change of plea hearing, Md. Zeaur Rahman Dalu pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud in foreign labor contracting.
Dalu had been charged with one count of mail fraud and two counts of fraud in foreign labor contracting.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Magistrate Judge Heather L. Kennedy recommended that Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona accept Dalu’s guilty plea.
Dalu will remain free while awaiting sentencing.
U.S. probation officer Margarita Wonenberg did not object, saying Dalu is compliant, gainfully employed, and under electronic monitoring.
Assistant U.S. attorney James Benedetto appeared for the U.S. government at the hearing.
The amended superseding indictment also charged Muksedur Rahman with two counts of mail fraud and three counts of fraud in foreign labor contracting and MD. Rafiqul Islam with one count of mail fraud and three counts of fraud in foreign labor contracting.
The amended superseding indictment also charged Shahinur Akter with one count of mail fraud and two counts of fraud in foreign labor contracting; David Trung Quoc Phan with two counts of mail fraud, three counts of fraud in foreign labor contracting, and one count of fraud and misuse of visas and permits; and Analyn Nunez with one count of mail fraud and one count of fraud and misuse of visas and permits.
Benedetto stated in court documents that the integral to the scheme to defraud was the collection of large amounts of money—roughly between $15,000 and $20,000—from each of the 12 named victims in this case.
The trial will be on Aug. 15, 2017.
