(San Jose) – “Evelyn Sineneng-Smith was convicted of three counts of encouraging or inducing illegal immigration for private financial gain and three counts of mail fraud by a federal jury on Tuesday, July 30th, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag. The guilty verdict followed a 13-day jury trial before The Honorable Ronald M. Whyte, U.S. District Court Judge.” Evidence at the trial showed that Sineneng-Smith operated an immigration consultation center in San Jose, California from 1990-2008. She advised foreign nationals, mainly Filipinos, on ways in which they could obtain legal permanent residence in the country even though they had entered the U.S on visitor visas. She charged the nationals she assisted $5,900 to file the application and continued to do so even after becoming aware that the laws had changed. Evidence at trial also showed that Sineneng-Smith had deposited more than $3.3 million dollars in payments from clients from August 2004 through 2007. “Sineneng-Smith, 66, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 14, 2010. She was charged with three counts of encouraging and inducing illegal immigration for private financial gain, in violation of 8 U.S.C. §§ 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv) and (B)(I), and three counts of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341. The sentencing of Sineneng-Smith will be scheduled on November 4, 2013.”
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