U.S. Homeland Security employee convicted on federal bribery charges in Atlanta

Hasmukh Patel, a former immigration adjudicator with the Department of Homeland Security, has been convicted of conspiring to encourage immigrants to enter the country illegally and accepting a bribe. The 54 year old of McDonough could serve nearly 50 years in prison.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution has the story.

A federal jury found Patel guilty of helping to bring a couple from India into the U.S. with fraudulent work visas. At trial, a witness told the jury that he paid Patel $100,000 to bring his brother and sister-in-law into the U.S. In addition, witnesses from the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai testified that Patel had called the consulate to vouch for the couple’s visa application.

Patel is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Clarence Cooper on June 23. Patel could be sentenced to 49 years in prison and face a $1.175 million fine.

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