Newark Immigration Service Executives Charged With Asylum Fraud
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By Nina Singh-Hudson
Published on October 12, 2024
Source: Google Street View
Operators of a Newark-based immigration services company have found themselves on the wrong side of the law. Dongquan "Derek" Jin and Yimin "Kelly" Lu of Gospel Immigration Service, Inc. are facing federal charges for allegedly aiding and abetting false statements on asylum applications. In an indictment unsealed on September 19, 2024, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California, the pair were arraigned for their role in a scheme they operated from 2013 through 2024. They are accused of inserting fabricated stories of persecution into their clients' asylum documents and encouraging them to lie to immigration officials.
Details of the indictment paint a picture of a methodical operation wherein Jin and Lu were listed as preparers on over 200 asylum applications. It is claimed they provided clients with sample statements chock-full of persecution tales, which were then slipped into the clients' asylum applications. The objective? To falsely improve their clients' chances for asylum. The duo allegedly didn't stop there as they went on to fully prepare their clients to parrot these fabrications during official interviews convincingly.
With their court date set for October 16, Jin and Lu face serious consequences if convicted. Each could face up to 10 years in the slammer and fines of a quarter million dollars, though it's worth remembering that an indictment is not proof of guilt. The U.S. Attorney's Office reminds us that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Much will hinge on how the case unfolds before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer.
https://hoodline.com/2024/10/newark-immigration-service-executives-charged-with-asylum-fraud/
