US: Andhra Techie Behind Bars for H-1B Visa Conspiracy
24 Apr, 2025 16:56 IST|Sakshi Post
A Silicon Valley tech staffing firm owner has been sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for orchestrating a visa fraud scheme involving H-1B applications, federal prosecutors announced this week.
Kishore Dattapuram, 55, co-owner of Nanosemantics Inc., pleaded guilty to conspiracy and multiple counts of visa fraud after being indicted in 2019. He admitted to filing fraudulent H-1B petitions to unlawfully secure work visas for foreign tech workers.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, Dattapuram and two co-conspirators submitted visa applications falsely claiming workers had secured jobs with specific Bay Area companies, jobs that didn’t exist.
“On multiple occasions, Dattapuram paid companies to pose as end-clients, fully aware that the foreign workers would never actually be employed there,” prosecutors stated.
The scheme allowed Nanosemantics to preemptively secure visas, placing candidates quickly when real opportunities emerged, a move that gave the firm a competitive edge in the fast-paced tech hiring market.
In addition to the prison term, Dattapuram has been sentenced to three years of supervised release. He has also been ordered to:
- Forfeit $125,456.48
- Pay a $7,500 fine
- Pay a $1,100 special assessment fee
This case highlights the continued federal crackdown on visa fraud and efforts to uphold integrity in the U.S. immigration system, particularly in the high-demand tech sector.
