EX-ARMENIAN CONSUL PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN VISA SCAM

2009/08/25 | 09:25

Diaspora

A former Armenian consul in Los Angeles pleaded not guilty Monday to
a charge of obstructing immigration proceedings in an alleged document
scam aimed at helping immigrants avoid deportation.

Norair Ghalumian entered the plea in federal court in Santa Ana,
prosecutor Sandy Leal said.

She said four other defendants facing similar charges in a total of
four cases also pleaded not guilty.

Immigration officials accuse Ghalumian and the others, including
a former consular employee and an immigration attorney, of selling
letters to immigrants facing deportation to help block their return
to Armenia. The letters stated that Armenia would not issue a travel
document for the immigrants, essentially preventing the U.S. government
from sending them to Armenia.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice said
many of the immigrants who obtained the letters – which sold for
as much as $35,000 – had been convicted of crimes that ranged from
domestic violence to murder.

Ghalumian, who was consul in Los Angeles from 1999 to 2003, was
arrested last month and released on bail. A message seeking comment
was left Monday for Ghalumian’s attorney Anthony Brooklier.

The other defendants are Hakop Hovanesyan, a former consular employee
from Glendale; Margarita Lazarian, an immigration attorney from
Glendale; Oganes Nardos of Valencia; and Elvis Madatyan of Glendale.

Each defendant is scheduled for a status conference in late September
and a trial on Oct. 6.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress