Lawrence couple pleads guilty to conspiracy to commit immigration fraud

Couple allegedly prepared fraudulent asylum applications

A Lawrence couple admitted their roles in a conspiracy to prepare and submit fraudulent asylum applications, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced this week.

Zuwairul Ameer, aka “Zuwairul Thowfeek,” 61, and Claudette Ameer, aka “Claudette Pieries,” 63, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp in Trenton federal court to count one of an indictment charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud.

Applicants for asylum in the United States must show that they have suffered persecution in their country of origin because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group, or have a well-founded fear of persecution if they were to return to that country. The process requires that an application is reviewed by an asylum officer with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services who makes an initial determination about whether to grant asylum. If the application has been prepared by someone other than the applicant, the preparer must disclose his or her name and address and must sign the application.

Since at least 2007, Zuwairul Ameer allegedly has been in the business of preparing fraudulent asylum applications on behalf of his non-citizen clients. Claudette Ameer allegedly managed that business, acting as the primary point of contact for clients, arranging meetings, and mailing completed applications. With Claudette Ameer’s assistance, Zuwairul Ameer allegedly met with clients, listened to their stories of mistreatment in their countries of origin, and drafted applications on their behalf that were fraudulent because they exaggerated the stories of mistreatment, falsely omitted Zuwairul Ameer’s name as the preparer, or both.

The conspiracy charge to which the Ameers have pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 25., 2025.

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Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.