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Alleged US visa fraud mastermind held in Nigeria
Friday, 24 March 2006 - 3:45 AM SL Time
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Sea-food exporter Upali Karunaratne accused of masterminding the recently exposed US visa scam in which Sports Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga`s name transpired, last night denied any wrongdoing on his part.
Speaking to The Island from Nigeria, Karunaratne said that he was in touch with the Nigerian police and the US Consulate in Lagos investigating the scam. Fielding questions, he claimed that a US company which offered job opportunities to a group of Sri Lankans directed him to a Nigerian Immigration Consultant. `The Nigerian was introduced as their recruiting agent responsible for securing work permits and Visas,` he said.
`When asked as to why we cannot get visas from the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, we were told that the US employer obtained the approval for the Nigerian consultant to secure work permit and visas through the U.S. Consulate in Nigeria,` he said.
He claimed that he submitted the complete correspondence with the Nigerian consultant to Nigerian and Sri Lankan authorities. According to him the main culprit is in Nigerian custody and he confessed his role in the scam. The police recovered a substantial amount of USD from his account.
According to him Minister Kumaratunga opened a special unit in his Ministry to explore employment opportunities for youth locally and internationally managed and implemented under the supervision and directions of Asoka Kotalawala.
`Since my Company is engaged in Seafood processing and exports, and as I have a large number of clientele around the world in seafood industry, I received an inquiry for employment of 79 youth in a seafood-processing factory in the U.S. We channeled this opportunity to send Sri Lankan youth for work in the U.S. through a foreign employment agency registered with the Foreign Employment Bureau,` Karunaratne said.
Karunaratne emphasised that the China Airline staff issued the required air tickets only after verifying the authenticity of visas with the US embassy in Colombo. He said that passports stamped with the US visas were handed over to the China Airline for this purpose. The US bound workers were arrested on February 23 at the BIA even after boarding passes were issued, he said, adding that Asoka Kotalawala, who was at the airport to assist workers, informed him of the situation over the phone. `I was furious to hear such news as to the best of our knowledge the visas were genuine as we were advised by the China Airline. And I advised Kotalawala to appear before the C.I.D. at the airport and explain. He was, arrested together with passengers,` he said.
He dismissed reports that he fled the country using a forged passport. `I am using my original, legitimately issued passport and I left on January 19, 2006 by Emirates flight EK 559 and my passport is being stamped by an immigration officer who was on duty bearing 155, a copy of the stamped page has been sent to C.I.D Headquarters in Colombo.`
`We honestly embarked on this U.S. employment project thinking this will help our Sri Lankan youth but it turned out to be a scam in the hands of Nigerian fraudsters,` he claimed.
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kiwikanga
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
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24 Mar 2006 00:41:11 GMT Report for Abuse
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The 'directors' of this so called 'US Company' are very likely to be sri lankans engaged in human smuggling!
Edited By - kiwikanga - 24 Mar 2006 00:42:02 GMT |
LuckyJay
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 83
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24 Mar 2006 02:20:47 GMT Report for Abuse
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| This kind of scams happened every part of the world every day,only thing is to retain the money to the respect owners.this kind of Trip's happened to US every day,this people are very lucky,they were stop at home,thanks to SL customs,other wise this inner son people who'd have standard in the desert. |
DEVAN
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 12
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24 Mar 2006 09:13:10 GMT Report for Abuse
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| There must be a thorough impartial investigation into this Visa Fraud. Because our country's image is tarnished abroad. Any body who is trying to go abroad, genuinely are also looked at suspiciously by the Foreign Missions here. If really the Nigerian is to be blamed the Govt. must do it utmost to recover all the monies paid by the Innocent youth to him.. They must be compensated for what ever they have paid. I hope in future, the Minister will look after our Sports affairs only. E.g. Look at the state of our Cricket team after winning the World Cup 10 years ago, Now we have to qualify to play in the Champions Trophy. |
lankesh35
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 39
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24 Mar 2006 18:54:20 GMT Report for Abuse
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| U.S. doesn't have any shortage of this kind of Manuel labor. According to U.S. Immigration policy, employers are allowed to sponsor employees on H1 Visa, only when they cannot find a particular type of labor within the United States. Sea food processing is not Rocket Science and there are plenty of labor available in U.S. to that kind of work. This is nothing but another scandal organized and conducted by corrupted politician like Jeevan Kumaranatunga. He should resign from his portfolio without embarrassing President. Then again, he doesn't have a integrity or courage to do that. A typical politician in third world. |
tamilcanuck
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Joined: Nov 2005
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24 Mar 2006 18:58:34 GMT Report for Abuse
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''There must be a thorough impartial investigation into this Visa Fraud. Because our country's image is tarnished abroad.''
wow!! |
Ragu
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 35
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24 Mar 2006 20:19:20 GMT Report for Abuse
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Poor guys got caught because their agent didn't pay the right amount of bribe to the corrupted immigration guys. Or may be they were tipped off by a rival agent. All these agent and minister guys will come out spotless, but poor workers will loose all their money.
BTW if it was a Tamil agent or anyone who slightly suspect of being an Eelam supporter all this media will shout 'LTTE's human smuggling racket busted' or 'LTTE's 'kapam' collectors arrested while on their way to USA'!
Is he brother-in-law of CBK? Imagine if he is related to any one in LTTE !!! |
naya
Joined: Mar 2006
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25 Mar 2006 02:14:30 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Corrupted politicians ruin the country. These types of illegal work will tarnish the image of the country. People really want to do genuine business with US can't get visa due to these dirty work. Government should take tough action against these culprits irrespective of the position and send them to jail. Otherwise we can't make a good country to our children. Jeevan should resign from his portfolio allowing government to conduct an independent inquiry. |
saliya
Joined: Mar 2005
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30 Apr 2006 16:02:57 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Goverment should investigate how these illegal things happend at gighest level. |
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