Two LA lawyers sentenced in fake work visa scheme...

Mar 11, 8:47 AM EDT

Two LA lawyers sentenced in fake work visa scheme


LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A name partner with one of the largest immigration law firms on the West Coast was sentenced Monday to two years in prison for filing phony visa applications.

Daniel E. Korenberg, 58, pleaded guilty last fall to two counts of visa fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud.

Authorities said he and Steven James Rodriguez, another attorney at Korenberg, Abramowitz & Feldun, created fraudulent work visa applications for foreign nationals, including at least 19 paralegals at their law firm.

Court papers detail how the Sherman Oaks-based firm hired foreign nationals without work authorization then paid them in cash until they received visas allowing them to legally work in the United States.

Rodriguez, 41, pleaded guilty last fall to one count of making false statements to the United States. He was sentenced Monday to six months of home detention with electronic monitoring and must perform 200 hours of community service.

Along with the prison time, Korenberg was sentenced to three years of supervised release that includes six months of home detention. He also must pay a $750,000 fine.

Another attorney at the firm, Phillip Abramowitz, 54, pleaded guilty to two counts of visa fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced March 24.

The firm, now known as ASK Law Group, also has offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Las Vegas.



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