Alpharetta immigration attorney accused of fraud
An Alpharetta immigration attorney is facing federal fraud charges that could land him in prison for decades.
Parmesh N. Dixit, 40, was arraigned Tuesday on 28 counts of visa fraud, a count of conspiracy and 42 counts of alien harboring for the purpose of private financial gain, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta.
Dixit lied about his client's qualifications to obtain work visas for them over a 3-year period ending in July 2008, U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said. "This immigration attorney allegedly used his knowledge of the United States' visa programs to fraudulently manipulate the system for dozens of clients."
Dixit allegedly charged his clients higher than normal fees, telling them he could get them unmerited "green cards" that would give them resident alien status.
He was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard, and released on a $50,000 secured bond. He also was ordered to surrender his U.S. and U.K. passports.
Dixit faces a fine of up to a quarter of a million dollars on each count, and up to a decade in prison on each count except the conspiracy charge, which calls for a maximum of five years in prison.
About the Author
Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.
