US agents arrest an American and two Afghans for fraud in Special Immigrant Visa Program
U.S. National Security Agency agents have arrested an American man and two Afghan citizens on charges of writing hundreds of fraudulent recommendation letters, document forgery, and taking money from Afghans under the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program.
Martin Anthony Muller is accused of writing hundreds of recommendation letters for Afghans who had applied for the special visa. He was arrested on Monday morning, October 21, at Daniel K. Inouye Airport in Hawaii.
Martin Anthony Muller had just arrived in Hawaii from a flight originating in the Marshall Islands. He worked as a contractor in Afghanistan until 2017, after which he relocated to Hawaii.
Mushtaq Ahmad Habibi and Dawood Kalantari, residents of Virginia and California, respectively, have also been arrested in connection with this case. All three have been charged with document forgery, wire fraud, and visa fraud.
Tom Simon, a former FBI agent, stated that the SIV program is designed to support those who have risked their lives abroad in support of the United States. He added that fraud in this program poses a threat to national security.
Reports indicate that between 2018 and August this year, Martin Muller wrote more than 300 recommendation letters for Afghans. These letters are essential in the SIV application process as employer endorsements.
The SIV program was established to provide a pathway to safety for Afghan citizens who worked with the U.S. government and its contractors, often facing risks to their lives due to their support for American operations.
Applicants for the SIV program must provide proof of their employment, including employer recommendation letters, to validate their contributions and justify their eligibility for relocation to the United States.
Fraudulent activities in the SIV program undermine its credibility and can prevent genuine applicants from receiving the assistance they need. This highlights the importance of maintaining stringent vetting processes to protect the integrity of the program and the safety of those who risked their lives.
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