Two California-based men admit to orchestrating multi-year H-1B visa fraud using fake job offers
April 20, 2026: Two Indian-origin men in the United States have pleaded guilty to running a multi-year H-1B visa fraud scheme, according to the Justice Department. Sampath Rajidi and Sreedhar Mada admitted to using fake job offers linked to the University of California to secure work permits for foreign nationals. The duo, both residents of Dublin, California, now face up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Court documents reveal that Rajidi operated visa service firms — S-Team Software Inc and Uptrend Technologies LLC — through which he sponsored foreign workers for H-1B visas. Mada, who served as Chief Information Officer at University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, allegedly misused his official position to lend credibility to the fraudulent applications, despite lacking authority to independently hire such workers.
Between 2020 and 2023, the two conspired to submit fake H-1B petitions, falsely claiming that beneficiaries would be employed in roles at the university. Investigators found that these positions did not exist and that visa holders never worked on any university projects. Instead, the workers were later marketed to other clients, giving the accused an unfair advantage and reducing opportunities for legitimate applicants. The sentencing is scheduled for July 30 before U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley.