3/8/2010 - The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported today that a Southern California man is being charged with conspiracy for allegedly orchestrating a visa fraud scheme involving dozens of foreign students enrolled at institutions throughout Southern California.

Foreign students from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Kuwait, Turkey, and Qatar allegedly paid thousands of dollars to the defendant and his associates to take college classes, exams and placement tests on their behalf so they could maintain their lawful immigration status as foreign students.

Foreign students are required to maintain a full-time course load, or risk falling out of their legal immigration status.  A foreign student failing to maintain their student status risks being arrested by ICE, and having deportation proceedings commenced against them.