Washington, DC [US], October 27 (ANI): A Tibetan man has been sentenced to more than two years in prison for his role in a scheme to file fraudulent asylum applications for financial gain, according to a report released Wednesday by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as cited by Phayul.
Tenzin Norbu, 56, was sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $170,000 for participating in a conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and making false statements on asylum applications submitted to USCIS. The sentence was handed down on October 15 by Judge Kimba M. Wood of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Phayul reported.
The conviction followed a three-year joint investigation by USCIS, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) under US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The agencies worked together to uncover the scheme.
According to court documents, between 2007 and 2018, Norbu and others prepared and submitted numerous asylum applications containing fabricated stories claiming that the applicants were Tibetan and would face persecution if returned to Tibet, which is under Chinese control.
Investigators revealed that Norbu charged about $5,000 per client and coached them on how to respond to interview questions about their fabricated narratives, according to the Phayul report. As authorities began investigating, Norbu fled the United States for Canada. After nearly five years of avoiding extradition, he was eventually returned to the US.
A federal grand jury indicted Norbu in March 2024, and he pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit asylum fraud and make false statements, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, Phayul reported.
The US government estimated that Norbu profited approximately $170,000 from the fraudulent activities, which were forfeited as part of his sentence.
Officials stated that the scheme affected nearly 100 individuals, leaving some in uncertain immigration situations. Some applicants reportedly had valid asylum claims even without the fabricated stories, while others may have received asylum based on the false applications. (ANI)
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