The H-1B Visa Scam Uncovered: What You Need to Know

A major H-1B visa scam has recently come to light, revealing a fraudulent scheme involving multiple companies submitting multiple applications for the same individuals, effectively rigging the system to obtain American visas. At the center of this scam is Kandi Srinivasa Reddy, an Indian-American businessman who has been implicated in orchestrating the fraud. Interestingly, Reddy, who was also a candidate for the Congress party in Telangana, lost in the recent local election.

An investigation by Bloomberg has exposed the widespread nature of this scam, which has been ongoing for several years and has reportedly involved many other firms engaging in similar fraudulent practices.

10 Key Facts About Reddy and the H-1B Visa Scam:

1. The scam revolves around a strategy known as ‘multiple registrations’, wherein an individual submits multiple applications under various company names to increase their chances of being selected in the annual H-1B visa lottery held every April.
2. Srinivasa Reddy controlled a network of companies, including Cloud Big Data Technologies LLC and Machine Learning Technologies LLC, which shared addresses and were used to manipulate the system to secure hundreds of H-1B visas.
3. Applicants who went through Reddy’s companies were guaranteed visas, giving them an unfair advantage over companies that followed standard procedures.
4. Reddy effectively created a staffing conglomerate akin to “the Amazon of staffing”.
5. As a Telugu NRI, Reddy pursued a master’s degree in the US and worked as a tech consultant before establishing his business network.
6. Reddy’s companies would take a significant portion (20-30%) of a worker’s pay, amounting to thousands of dollars annually, after securing them a visa.
7. In the 2020 H-1B visa lottery, Reddy’s Cloud Big Data alone submitted 288 applications, with other companies under his control submitting the same names. In total, his companies entered the lottery over 3,000 times.
8. While Reddy claims to be only a registered agent for these companies, official documents suggest otherwise, indicating his direct involvement in their operations. His election filings also list him as the owner of these staffing companies.
9. Aside from his business ventures, Reddy is known to run a foundation to support farmers in his hometown in India, as well as operate his own television and online news platforms.
10. Despite the allegations, Reddy maintains that his actions were not illegal, emphasizing that the choice to select a company rests with the employees. He cites recent changes mandating passport numbers in visa entries as a measure to prevent such fraudulent practices.

This revelation sheds light on the unethical practices that can occur within the H-1B visa system and the need for stricter oversight to prevent such scams from jeopardizing the integrity of the visa application process.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/what-is-h-1b-lottery-scam-who-is-indian-american-kandi-srinivasa-reddy-behind-this/articleshow/112205692.cms