21 Charged With Scheme To Give 1,000+ Bogus Student, Foreign Worker Visas

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - A sting has nabbed nearly two dozen suspects who were trying to get more than 1,000 bogus student and foreign worker visas, officials said Tuesday.

The Department of Homeland Security created a fake, for-profit school called the University of Northern NJ.

The fake school had no instructors, educators, curriculum or classes, officials said. It only had a storefront location with federal agents posing as school administrators.

The 21 defendants allegedly were given cash for helping the purported students in the visa process.

The defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud and conspiracy to harbor aliens for profit. The second charge carries a maximum prison term of 10 years.

Most of the foreign nationals who benefited from the alleged scheme hailed from China and India.

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman says the students have been identified and will be dealt with by immigration authorities, but won't be prosecuted.

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