Thai Restaurant Chain Owner In America Arrested For Immigration Fraud

[sriracha john]

Issaquah resident accused of arranging ‘sham marriages’ for Thai Ginger employees

Immigration agents arrested Issaquah restaurateur Varee Bradford today on federal charges of paying her employees to enter “sham marriages” with Thai citizens to help them to stay in the United States.

Bradford, 43, operates the chain of Thai Ginger restaurants.

Authorities unsealed a federal grand-jury indictment in U.S. District Court in Seattle today against Bradford and former Thai Ginger employee Porramin Tangchaiwanna, 32, known by the nickname Golf.

The indictment accuses Bradford of offering her employees up to $25,000 to enter sham marriages with her Thai relatives for immigration purposes.

Bradford is charged with four immigration crimes stemming from four instances from 2001 to 2007 in which marriages were set up between Thai Ginger employees and her relatives. The charges against Bradford include a single count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and three counts of fraud related to providing false information on immigration paperwork.

Tangchaiwanna is charged with a single count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud. Authorities said he helped Bradford set up a sham marriage with an undercover immigration agent.

In 2001, authorities said Bradford asked a female employee to marry a male relative who needed to sponsor his daughter, who lived in Thailand, to come to the United States. Bradford later loaned the woman $3,780.

Authorities said Bradford asked a female employee in 2005 to marry a Thai citizen to help him obtain a permanent resident “green card.” Bradford offered the woman $20,000 and told the woman she would only have to remain married for two years, until the man received a green card, according to the documents. Throughout 2005 and 2006, the employee received payments amounting to more than $20,000.

In another 2005 instance, Bradford asked a male employee to marry a female relative who wanted to bring her two children to the United States. Bradford paid the man $10,000 to $15,000 for the marriage, the documents said.

Bradford arranged for her nephew to marry a female employee in 2006. That employee was paid $15,000, the documents said.

Authorities said the scheme began to unravel when an undercover Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent met with Bradford and Tangchaiwanna in February 2008 at a Thai Ginger in Seattle. Bradford introduced the agent to a woman identified as Nikki and told the agent she would pay him $20,000 to marry the woman, court documents said.

Tangchaiwanna told the agent he would receive his first $5,000 on the day of the wedding and his final $5,000 payment the day Nikki received a green card. Bradford and Tangchaiwanna then instructed the agent to speak with Nikki frequently in order to prepare for the immigration interview. Bradford told the agent he would have to stay married for two years, the documents said.

- Issaquah Press (Washington state, USA) / 2009-06-23

=========================================================================

[sriracha john]

Restaurant owner pleads not guilty to charges of setting up "sham marriages"

The owner of the Thai Ginger, a local chain of popular Thai restaurants, pleaded not guilty this afternoon to federal charges alleging she paid her employees thousands of dollars to enter into "sham marriages" with her relatives from Thailand so they could stay in the U.S.

A federal grand-jury indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Seattle against Varee Bradford, 43, of Issaquah, who operates five Thai Ginger restaurants in Seattle and the Eastside. She was arrested this morning.

Bradford is charged with four immigration crimes, including conspiracy to commit immigration fraud.

She was released on personal recognizance after her initial appearance this afternoon in U.S. District Court.

Also named in the indictment is an associate of Bradford, Porramin Tangchaiwanna, 32, also known as "Golf." He is charged with assisting Bradford in arranging a sham marriage with a man who turned out to be an undercover immigration agent. He also pleaded not guilty.

Bradford's husband, Michael, the co-owner of the restaurants, declined to comment this morning.

The charging documents specify four marriages that Bradford arranged between her employees and Thai relatives between 2001 and 2007.

Both male and female employees were offered between $10,000 and $20,000 to marry the Thai immigrants to make it easier for them to obtain permanent resident "green cards," and stay in the country, according to the charges.

In February 2008, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent went undercover and met with Bradford and Tangchaiwanna, the court documents say. Bradford offered $20,000 for the undercover agent to marry a woman named Nikki, the prosecutors charge.

Bradford told the agent that he should "communicate with Nikki on a frequent basis to get to know her and prepare for the immigration interview."

The agent was to receive $5,000 payments, with the last delivered when Nikki got her green card, the documents charge.

Bradford is also charged with helping to fill out the immigration paperwork that fraudulently claimed the arranged marriages were real.

- Seattle Times (USA) / 2009-06-23

[sriracha john]

A federal grand-jury indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Seattle against Varee Bradford, 43, of Issaquah, who operates five Thai Ginger restaurants in Seattle and the Eastside. She was arrested this morning.

Varee Bradford's homepage for Thai Ginger restaurants:

http://www.thaiginger.com/

[sriracha john]

Varee Bradford is seen outside the courthouse on Tuesday, June 23, 2009.

Thai restaurant chain owner accused of setting up sham marriages

SEATTLE - The owner of a chain of popular Thai restaurants in the Seattle area has been indicted on charges she paid her workers tens of thousands of dollars to enter into sham marriages with her relatives, allowing them to stay in the U.S.

Varee Bradford, who operates five Thai Ginger restaurants in Seattle, Redmond, Issaquah and Bellevue, was arrested Tuesday on charges of immigration fraud conspiracy and three counts of immigration document fraud. She was released on personal recognizance Tuesday afternoon after making an initial appearance in U.S. District Court.

A grand jury indictment cites four marriages between Thai Ginger workers and Thai nationals, three of whom were Bradford's relatives. Bradford paid three of the workers $10,000 to more than $20,000, while another, who had recently been promoted to management, received a loan of $3,780, the indictment said.

Three of the workers were men and one was a woman. They were told the marriages would only have to last two years, until the Thai nationals received their green cards.

Also charged was Porramin Tangchaiwanna, who is accused of helping to set up a fifth marriage between an undercover immigration agent and a Thai woman last year. He remained in custody on an immigration hold and could face deportation.

A man who answered the phone at Thai Ginger's office said he would give Bradford's attorney a message from The Associated Press, but the message was not immediately returned Tuesday.

Bradford faces a maximum prison term of 5 years on the conspiracy charge and 10 years on each of the document fraud counts. Tangchaiwanna, also charged with immigration fraud conspiracy, faces up to 5 years.

The indictment includes a criminal forfeiture allegation, meaning the government is seeking to seize any property Bradford may have purchased with proceeds from criminal activity.

Lorie Dankers, a Seattle spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said she could not discuss the immigration status of any of Bradford's relatives.

- Associated Press / 2009-06-23

[brahmburgers]

When you mess with something that falls within the US Fed's jurisdiction, things can get serious quick.

'marriages of convenience' have been common in the States for many years, and most of the time they're not a big deal for either the man or the woman or a big deal for American society as a whole. One of the drawbacks could be coerced sex for the woman. Taking a payment for brokering a marriage is, as far as I know, not against any US law. The Feds are acting on the premise of 'illegal immigration' - which is rather silly, when you consider tens of thousands of Mexicans slip illegally in to the States on any given day.

Edited June 24, 2009 by brahmburgers

[sriracha john]

Varee Bradford is seen outside the courthouse on Tuesday, June 23, 2009.

Varee Bradford was arrested Tuesday on charges of immigration fraud conspiracy and three counts of immigration document fraud.

Bradford faces a maximum prison term of 5 years on the conspiracy charge and 10 years on each of the document fraud counts.

'marriages of convenience' have been common in the States for many years, and most of the time they're not a big deal for either the man or the woman

35 years in federal prison (no parole/probation within federal system) constitutes a big deal, IMHO.

*edit... also the US$750,000 in fines and possible loss of millions in restaurant assets.

Edited June 24, 2009 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Varee Bradford leaves the federal courthouse in Seattle on Tuesday, June 23, 2009. She was indicted on charges she paid her workers to marry with her relatives.

Seattle restaurant owner indicted in immigration scheme

SEATTLE - The owner of a chain of Thai restaurants in the Seattle area has been indicted on charges she paid her workers tens of thousands of dollars to enter into sham marriages with her relatives, allowing them to move to the U.S.

Varee Bradford, who operates five Thai Ginger restaurants in Seattle, Redmond, Issaquah and Bellevue, was arrested Tuesday and appeared in federal court. She is charged with one count of immigration fraud conspiracy and three counts of immigration document fraud.

Bradford, 43, had little to say to reporters after pleading not guilty.

A grand jury indictment cites four marriages between Thai Ginger workers and Thai nationals, three of whom were Bradford's relatives.

"The primary benefit was financial,” said Asst. U.S. Attorney Jill Otake.

Documents suggest Bradford paid as much as $20,000 to employees to take part in the sham. Prosecutors say the restaurant chain benefited from the scheme.

"There was some financial benefit to her in the long run by ensuring that some of her employees gained status, immigration status, in the United States while they worked for her,” said Otake.

Nobody at any of Thai Ginger’s five locations would talk Tuesday.

Prosecutors say they served up the case to cut down on fraud and keep channels open for people who legally want to be in the U.S.

“This type of behavior put in jeopardy their effort to live legitimately with their loved ones,” said Otake.

Otake says Bradford also helped in drafting documents for the immigration process.

Bradford could face 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of immigration document fraud.

A second man was also charged and is accused of trying to set up a fifth marriage.

A spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement would not comment on the status of the employees or Thai nationals who were part of the scheme. Thai Ginger remains open, but prosecutors wouldn't rule out going after the chain and its assets as part of forfeiture proceedings.

Prosecutors say immigration agents can shut down entry from a certain country if illegal immigration activities and document fraud are prevalent, and they're taking action in this case to protect those channels for people who want to legally enter the United States.

- KING-TV Channel 5 News (Seattle, USA) / 2009-06-23

==========================================================================

KING-TV Channel 5 News Videolink:

http://www.king5.com/video/featured-index.html?nvid=374050

Edited June 24, 2009 by sriracha john

[cognos]

Things like this are partially why it takes so long for the regular folks to get their Thai spouse to farang land on marriage visas ..especially Canada

[steffi]

When I used to work in Redmond we used to often eat Pad Kee Mao from Thai Ginger in the mall there and it was actually pretty good. Far far better than the rubbish that it served as so called "Thai Food" in Chicago.

[Spee]

Issaquah Press (Washington state, USA) / 2009-06-23

"In another 2005 instance, Bradford asked a male employee to marry a female relative who wanted to bring her two children to the United States. Bradford paid the man $10,000 to $15,000 for the marriage, the documents said."

Did that include the sinsod?

All kidding aside, it's pretty ridiculous to see rather petty offenses like this pursued and prosecuted, when the US southern borders are absolutely overrun with tens of thousands of daily illegal entrants, many of whom are seeking little more than to get on the dole, work in the drug trade, or rejoin their gang-banger buddies.

Seems pretty obvious that this is a case of some bureaucrat looking for a political scapegoat to make it look like someone is actually doing their job. Thais get the book thrown at them while Latinos get a pass. Can anyone say discriminatory law enforcement and prosecution? Meanwhile ... Rome burns .... and Nero fiddles.

[JohnGotti]

Farang sure are lucky that the immigration rules are so lax here. many farang even own businesses through silent Thai partners and houses and land through similar loopholes.

[sriracha john]

She doesn't need any loopholes. She can easily be a full and completely legal owner of a business in America, whether she's been naturalized as a citizen or not. Something that can't be done here vice-versa. So farang aren't "lucky"... she is... or was, until she broke other unrelated criminal laws.

Edited June 24, 2009 by sriracha john

[JohnGotti]

She doesn't need any loopholes. She can easily be a full and completely legal owner of a business in America, whether she's been naturalized as a citizen or not. Something that can't be done here vice-versa. So farang aren't "lucky"... she is... or was, until she broke other unrelated criminal laws.

OH REALLY?

[Lancelot]

Where is the crime re-enactment? Khun Golf with her head hanging down and several "duped" fiancee's pointing the finger at her?

[TheWalkingMan]

Looks like she went to the well once too often. Once or twice might have been fine, but 5x is asking for trouble.

The sad part is that it seems that the woman had done well for herself with a chain of 5 restaurants and was probably living a very good life.

Edited June 24, 2009 by TheWalkingMan

[jackdanielsesq]

There's a Fed under ya bed - how stupid - designer suits? No polyester, no gray Chevy + chrome hub caps?!

Big deal - maybe for Seattle - released on her own recognizances says it all - five restaurants is hardly a chain.

BR>Jack

[marsteele]

Looks like she went to the well once too often. Once or twice might have been fine, but 5x is asking for trouble.

The sad part is that it seems that the woman had done well for herself with a chain of 5 restaurants and was probably living a very good life.

yep I guess she just got greedy or she still has that sick buffalo back in Thailand.

[LomSak27]

It's a search engine ... it grabs anything related to Thailand or Thais. Big news for Thaivisa obviously

But here is where it ranks in the STimes. Knock yourself out Jack

Yakima cracking down on thong underwear

The Yakima City Council is cracking down on what an ordinance delicately refers to as "cleavage of the buttocks."

Hanford digs up radioactive wasp nests

Workers at the nation's most contaminated nuclear site are conducting a sting operation to dig up radioactive wasp nests that could number in the thousands.

Women assault cops in melee on cruise ship

Two police officers were assaulted by women as they responded to a huge brawl aboard a cruise ship early Sunday on the Seattle waterfront. Two sisters suspected of brawling aboard an Argosy Cruises ship and attacking two police officers had just returned from a three-hour tour.

Yes, a three-hour tour.

[animatic]

When you mess with something that falls within the US Fed's jurisdiction, things can get serious quick.

'marriages of convenience' have been common in the States for many years, and most of the time they're not a big deal for either the man or the woman or a big deal for American society as a whole. One of the drawbacks could be coerced sex for the woman. Taking a payment for brokering a marriage is, as far as I know, not against any US law. The Feds are acting on the premise of 'illegal immigration' - which is rather silly, when you consider tens of thousands of Mexicans slip illegally in to the States on any given day.

Ditto.

[sriracha john]

Thai owner of famous Seattle restaurant nabbed for paying workers to marry her relatives

Thai owner of popular Thai restaurant; Thai Ginger, in Seattle is arrested on charges of paying employees thousands of dollars to enter into "sham marriages" with her relatives from Thailand so they could stay in the United States.

The Seattle Times online reported Wednesday that Varee Bradford, 43, who operated five Thai Ginger restaurants in Seattle pleaded not guilty and was ordered released pending trial after appearing in US District Court in Seattle.

The owner of a local chain of popular Thai restaurants pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of paying employees thousands of dollars to enter into "sham marriages" with her relatives from Thailand so they could stay in the United States.

Varee was arrested at her Issaquah home early Tuesday after a grand-jury indictment was unsealed charging her with four counts, including immigration-document fraud and conspiracy to commit immigration fraud. The charges carry a potential prison sentence of 35 years, prosecutors said.

The online reported that also named in the indictment is Thai Ginger employee Porramin Tangchaiwanna, 32, also known as "Golf." He is charged with assisting Bradford in arranging a sham marriage with a man who turned out to be an undercover immigration agent.

Porramin was ordered held pending trial because of questions about his immigration status.

Both Varee's attorney and her husband, Michael, the co-owner of the restaurants, declined to comment as they left the courtroom.

Varee had been under investigation for about three years after U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) received a tip about her alleged scheme, said a spokeswoman, Lorie Dankers.

The charging documents specified four marriages that Bradford arranged between her employees who are U.S. citizens and Thai relatives between 2001 and 2007.

Both male and female employees were offered US$10,000 to US$20,000 to marry the Thai immigrants to make it easier for them to obtain permanent resident "green cards" and stay in the country, according to the charges.

-- The Nation 2009-06-24

[JimmyTheMook]

I hope she meets some nice people in prison.

[Chang_paarp]

It's a search engine ... it grabs anything related to Thailand or Thais. Big news for Thaivisa obviously

But here is where it ranks in the STimes. Knock yourself out Jack

Yakima cracking down on thong underwear

The Yakima City Council is cracking down on what an ordinance delicately refers to as "cleavage of the buttocks."

Hanford digs up radioactive wasp nests

Workers at the nation's most contaminated nuclear site are conducting a sting operation to dig up radioactive wasp nests that could number in the thousands.

Women assault cops in melee on cruise ship

Two police officers were assaulted by women as they responded to a huge brawl aboard a cruise ship early Sunday on the Seattle waterfront. Two sisters suspected of brawling aboard an Argosy Cruises ship and attacking two police officers had just returned from a three-hour tour.

Yes, a three-hour tour.

Please don't tell me the mate's name is Gilligan.

[Johpa]

It is a bit silly to use a case in Seattle to instill the fear of god, or the Federal government, into the US based Thai population instead of down in Los Angeles where this sort of thing is even more prevalent. There are either some really bored federal agents up in the Pacific Northwest or this woman was just a lot dumber than most of the people who arrange scam marriages.

[MSingh]

A little off topic but maybe someone reading this thread would know, someone told me a while back that Seattle had the highest Concentration of Thai's in one City outside of Thailand, anyone know if that's true ??

[Jingthing]

A little off topic but maybe someone reading this thread would know, someone told me a while back that Seattle had the highest Concentration of Thai's in one City outside of Thailand, anyone know if that's true ??

Nope, that would be L.A.:

Areas of greatest concentration

Los Angeles, California has the largest Thai population outside of Thailand. Roughly 66% percent of all Thai Americans live in Los Angeles.[citation needed] It is also home to the world's first and only Thai Town. In 2002, there was an estimated 80,000+ Thai immigrants living in Los Angeles. Because of this, Los Angeles is sometimes referred to as Thailand's 77th province.

Bangkok and Los Angeles are both known as the City of Angels.

wiki

The first Thai immigrants Chang and Eng in the USA (1839), for real, they were a 2 for 1:

Edited June 24, 2009 by Jingthing

[kenk3z]

Is there a picture of Nikki anywhere?

I'm pretty sure the $20K USD could end up returned five times over in the sham divorce settlement.

kenk3z

[MSingh]

A little off topic but maybe someone reading this thread would know, someone told me a while back that Seattle had the highest Concentration of Thai's in one City outside of Thailand, anyone know if that's true ??

Nope, that would be L.A.:

Areas of greatest concentration

Los Angeles, California has the largest Thai population outside of Thailand. Roughly 66% percent of all Thai Americans live in Los Angeles.[citation needed] It is also home to the world's first and only Thai Town. In 2002, there was an estimated 80,000+ Thai immigrants living in Los Angeles. Because of this, Los Angeles is sometimes referred to as Thailand's 77th province.

Bangkok and Los Angeles are both known as the City of Angels.

wiki

The first Thai immigrants Chang and Eng in the USA (1839), for real, they were a 2 for 1:

Thanks for that but that appears to be 7 Years ago, i wonder if there is anything more recent within the link that you found that info ??

Edit : I just found your C&P on Wiki, can't find a lot else but it doesn't even mention Seattle in the other areas where there is a concentration, it strangely mentions Providence, RI though..

Edited June 24, 2009 by MSingh

[brahmburgers]

Varee Bradford is seen outside the courthouse on Tuesday, June 23, 2009.

Varee Bradford was arrested Tuesday on charges of immigration fraud conspiracy and three counts of immigration document fraud.

Bradford faces a maximum prison term of 5 years on the conspiracy charge and 10 years on each of the document fraud counts.

'marriages of convenience' have been common in the States for many years, and most of the time they're not a big deal for either the man or the woman

35 years in federal prison (no parole/probation within federal system) constitutes a big deal, IMHO.

*edit... also the US$750,000 in fines and possible loss of millions in restaurant assets.

I used the idiom; 'not a big deal' in reference to most sham/arranged marriages and how they relate to the men and women involved. It was not used to refer to the harsh sentence(s) threatened by the Feds.

[TheWalkingMan]

...Varee had been under investigation for about three years after U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) received a tip about her alleged scheme, said a spokeswoman, Lorie Dankers.

...

-- The Nation 2009-06-24

Some posters are complaining that US Immigration should have better things to do than go after this woman. It looks like ICE had no idea about this until someone spilled the beans. Maybe ICE would have overlooked this case, but once a tip is made they are probably required to have look to confirm if there is any validity. Apparently they found something fishy, followed up and arrested her. Not a pretty story, but it looks like she was playing a little loose with the rules.

[sriracha john]

Varee Bradford is seen outside the courthouse on Tuesday, June 23, 2009.

Varee Bradford was arrested Tuesday on charges of immigration fraud conspiracy and three counts of immigration document fraud.

Bradford faces a maximum prison term of 5 years on the conspiracy charge and 10 years on each of the document fraud counts.

'marriages of convenience' have been common in the States for many years, and most of the time they're not a big deal for either the man or the woman

35 years in federal prison (no parole/probation within federal system) constitutes a big deal, IMHO.

*edit... also the US$750,000 in fines and possible loss of millions in restaurant assets.

I used the idiom; 'not a big deal' in reference to most sham/arranged marriages and how they relate to the men and women involved. It was not used to refer to the harsh sentence(s) threatened by the Feds.

I still think it's a big deal when these line-jumpers contravene those going the fully legal route and who must wait months and months for approval and expend lots of time, energy, and money in the lengthy process. As the Immigration officer in the news videolink says it creates a lot of problems for those that want to enter legitimately.