DHS official admits taking bribes to fake documents

Via CNN.com
12/01/2006

WASHINGTON (CNN) — A federal immigration official pleaded
guilty Thursday to receiving more than $600,000 in bribes for
falsifying documents for illegal immigrants.

Robert Schofield, 57, could face 25 years in federal prison when he is sentenced in February.

He
pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, to
issuing fraudulent documents to at least 184 illegal immigrants who
falsely received U.S. citizenship.

Schofield, a former supervisor for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, was arrested in June.

He
had served as a supervisory district adjudications officer at the
Washington district office of agency, part of the Department of
Homeland Security.

According to court documents, Schofield
illegally helped Asian immigrants obtain U.S. citizenship in return for
payments of $30,000 or more.

Under terms of the plea agreement
Schofield has agreed to surrender his home, his bank accounts and his
government retirement account.

“The breadth and scope of Mr. Schofield’s fraud and corruption are truly stunning,” said U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg.

“Those
who compromise the integrity of our national immigration system betray
the confidence of the American people, and their actions are shameful.”

Prosecutors said Schofield employed a network of brokers to bring aliens to him who were willing to pay for the phony documents.

The government says it has identified a number of these brokers.

One of them, Qiming Ye of Washington, has already pleaded guilty and will be sentenced December 21.