Fraud and Exposures

In the summer of 2025, media outlets reported on a large-scale review in the EB-1A category. USCIS revoked a number of previously approved petitions due to questionable evidence: publications in artificially created journals, reciprocal citations, inflated rankings, and fake certificates.

Paid awards such as Globee and Stevie were especially common — formally prestigious, but in reality carrying little weight. In some cases, groups of applicants colluded to cite each other’s names in publications to artificially inflate citation counts.

Similar issues have arisen with the O-1 visa. In New York, an attorney was arrested after filing more than 150 petitions for artists using falsified proof of their talents. Many of these petitions were initially approved by USCIS, but once the scheme was uncovered, they turned into criminal cases.

The consequences are serious: visa denials, charges of immigration fraud, and even prison terms for money laundering. Large-scale exposures like these can lead to stricter reviews and even the potential revision or cancellation of extraordinary ability categories altogether.

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Common Schemes of Fraud and Manipulation

What tactics do dishonest “consultants” or applicants themselves use? Based on investigations and USCIS practice, several recurring schemes can be identified.
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• Purchased “awards” and “judging roles”
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  Agencies advertise contests with flashy names such as Stevie or Globee, where participation or even a prize requires payment. At first glance, this looks like an easy “point” toward a visa, but for USCIS such awards are either insignificant or unverifiable. Very often, if a visa officer cannot find credible information about the competition, they issue an RFE (Request for Evidence), asking for proof of its legitimacy, the jury’s composition, or media coverage. Weak responses put the entire petition at risk.
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• Paid publications
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  A publication in a recognized academic journal is strong evidence. But so-called “pay-to-publish” journals have emerged, where articles are accepted for a fee without proper peer review. Some firms even write or compile texts for the applicant. On paper it looks like a “publication,” but in reality it proves nothing. USCIS carefully checks the journals involved, and such fabricated credentials often undermine the whole case.
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• Reciprocal citations
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  Academic citation systems (such as the h-index and other metrics) are meant to measure a scholar’s real impact. However, there have been cases where groups of specialists agreed to cite each other in dozens of papers. The statistics look inflated, supposedly demonstrating “high citation rates,” but upon deeper review USCIS has uncovered these networks and disqualified the applicants involved.
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• Fake recommendation letters and “ghost associations”
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  For EB-1A and O-1 petitions, recommendations from recognized industry leaders are crucial. Some unscrupulous attorneys forged letters from prominent scientists or even created fictitious “associations” with websites and logos. Such documents may look convincing at first glance, but verification exposes the fraud and leads to denial.
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• Exaggerating roles or contributions
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  Another common trick is inflating one’s position. An applicant might describe themselves as a “lead researcher” or “jury member,” when in fact they played a minor role or simply attended the event. USCIS officers are entitled to probe further through an RFE, asking pointed questions such as: “Where were the research results published?” or “On what basis were you invited to evaluate projects?” If the answers don’t match, the petition is denied.
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Honest Marketing vs. Outright Lies

In U.S. immigration practice, emphasizing your achievements is not only acceptable but expected. The core message of EB-1A/NIW petitions or O-1 applications is to tell a story of success. Naturally, applicants present themselves in a positive light: “I made a significant contribution to the field,” “I am working on an important project,” “I received recognition from peers.” This is normal “marketing” language. The key, however, is balance: the claims must be verifiable.
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Where the line is drawn

• Acceptable: using strong descriptors (“innovative research,” “leading specialist”), highlighting real contributions, and selecting your most important achievements — as long as they can be backed up by facts.
  
• Unacceptable: inventing awards, purchasing publications, claiming credit for projects you did not participate in, or listing diplomas that do not exist.
  

Experts stress that “misrepresentation of qualifications” includes not only falsified documents but also serious exaggeration of accomplishments.
For example: it is legitimate to list yourself as a co-author of an article in a peer-reviewed journal. But calling a blog post or a self-published brochure a “scientific publication” is deception. Similarly, it is fine to describe a genuine conference presentation — but fabricating attendance records or inventing an event is a huge risk.

Any major distortion of facts increases the likelihood of an RFE (Request for Evidence). In the internet age, the authenticity of awards, diplomas, or certificates can be checked in minutes. “Quick wins” through purchased documents almost always end in failure.
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How to do it right

Professional consultants focus on strategy, not falsification.

• Together with the client, we highlight real achievements and present them in the strongest possible way.
• We help plan in advance how to build a public profile — for example, which journals to submit articles to, or which competitions are worth entering.
• We close “gaps” in the evidence base. Our goal is to gather the most reliable proof and frame it with clear explanatory letters so that the USCIS officer immediately sees that everything is transparent and documented.

Experience shows that success does not require a Nobel or a Pulitzer. What matters are real achievements and credible evidence. The right sequence is: first, achieve results in legitimate contests and conferences — and only then present them attractively to the visa officer.

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How to Distinguish a Legitimate Petition from a Dubious One

1. Check the sources of information

The USCIS criteria for EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, or O-1 are clearly defined: media recognition, citations, awards, membership in reputable associations, judging experience, and so on. This information is openly available on the official USCIS website. If someone offers you “alternative evidence” not listed there, it’s a red flag.
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2. Be cautious with flashy names

If the “president” of the Global Science Awards writes to you personally, ask yourself whether the award even exists. Research competitions and reviews online — legitimate international awards have a verifiable track record, while cheap “internet nominations” often leave no trace.
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3. Paid publications and judging roles are warning signs‍

USCIS evaluates actual selectivity. Simply being listed as an “expert” on a website without a vetting process, or publishing a paid article in an online outlet, is weak evidence. Real journals and competitions are easy to verify and always come with independent confirmation.
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4. Be skeptical of “guarantees”

Immigration attorneys agree: there is no such thing as a 100% guarantee of visa approval. Anyone promising a certain result is hiding something. If you are offered “magic schemes” — like buying documents or leveraging supposed “connections at USCIS” — it’s almost certainly fraud.
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5. Demand transparency

‍A reliable attorney will:

• show anonymized examples of successful petitions,
• explain your chances and timelines honestly,
• prepare everything with official USCIS forms and cover letters.

A dubious agent relies on vague phrases like “we’ll take care of everything” and provides no real documentation.

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Consequences of Fraud or Mistakes in the Petition

1. Visa denial

The mildest outcome: USCIS may issue an RFE (Request for Evidence) or a NOID (Notice of Intent to Deny). Any inconsistency — unclear publications, weak letters, unverified achievements — can lead to denial. Even after approval of the I-140 or the issuance of a green card, USCIS reserves the right to review the case and revoke status if fraud is discovered.
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2. Permanent ban on entry

Under immigration law (INA §212(a)(6)(C)(i)), providing false information in a visa application makes a person permanently inadmissible — in other words, it permanently bars entry to the U.S., unless an extremely difficult waiver process is completed. It does not matter if the applicant was on H-1B status or already held a green card: fraud can surface years later and ruin the case.
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3. Criminal liability

If involvement in a fraudulent scheme is proven, USCIS may forward the case to the FBI or federal prosecutors. This can result in charges of conspiracy and defrauding the government, with criminal sentences for organizers and participants alike.

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Relogate’s Strategy: Honest and Effective

When visa criteria demand convincing evidence, building a solid strategy is far more important than chasing “magic shortcuts.”

At Relogate, we have already helped numerous professionals and entrepreneurs secure residency and relocate to the U.S., the U.K., and France. Our approach includes:

• assessing the applicant’s real achievements and selecting the right category (O-1, EB-1A, EB-2 NIW);
• developing a tailored document preparation strategy;
• working with trusted U.S. attorneys to strengthen petitions legally;
• gathering authentic evidence: business projects, contribution letters, recommendations;
• eliminating gaps in advance so that USCIS officers clearly see that everything is transparent and verifiable.

We never promise the impossible, but we do everything we can to maximize your chances — by focusing on the quality of evidence and attention to detail.