Another US varsity in visa fraud row; Indians hit

New York: A year after the Tri-Valley university scam left several students from India high and dry, another American varsity with a significant Indian population, has run into trouble after its CEO was charged with visa fraud.

Jerry Wang, 34, the CEO of Sunnyvale California-based Herguan University and the University of East-West Medicine has been charged in a San Jose District Court with a 15-count indictment on visa fraud including that he forged federal documents to allow foreign students to enter and stay in the US.

Federal agents raided the Herguan University in California and arrested Wang on Thursday. Wang faces a maximum penalty of up to 85 years in prison if convicted of all charges. He could also have to paya fine of up to a million dollars.

Wang`s father and mother have also been named in the 10-page indictment, which alleges that between 2007 and 2011, they submitted false transfer letters and forged other visa documents required for non-immigrant students to the US Department of Homeland Security`s Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP).

The Wangs collected tuition fees and other payments from Herguan students in exchange for maintaining their false student visa records.

The case could spell trouble for the about 450 students of Herguan, most of whom are from India. A photograph on the university`s website shows some graduating students, half of whom are Indians.

The university however wrote on its website that the charges against Wang have not affected Herguan and that Wang has resigned from his post.

The university